


Heart Eater!

by VoidDragonQueen



Series: Fusion!AU [6]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Universe Hopping, Alternate Universe of an Alternate Universe, Angst, Bad End AU, Body Horror, Cannibalism, He is forced to kiss a corpse and its gross, Implied Past Abuse, M/M, Multi, Spoilers, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Time Loop, You know that one picture?, akechi is not having a good time with his persona selves lmao, angst is all fun and games until it hits too close to home oof, exploiting game mechanics in ways unintended but whatever lmao, suicide ideation, thats this fic, the one that says "this will hurt the whole time youre dying"?, true love's kiss but it only sort of works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2019-08-08 14:13:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 37,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16430960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoidDragonQueen/pseuds/VoidDragonQueen
Summary: Arsene and his friends have cornered Hunger again, and this time they won't let him escape. But when a portal opens up near him, they are too late as he jumps into it, escaping to an entirely strange new world.Meanwhile, the Phantom Thieves are just meeting up again, safe and fine in the Velvet Room, when the world changes around them suddenly. They come to, noticing they are no longer in the Velvet Room.And they find themselves face to face with Akechi Goro once again,  deep within the bowels of Shido's Palace.





	1. The Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Hey what's up I'm back on my bullshit.

Arsene slides backwards from the force, panting hard. He had injuries everywhere, his muscles sore as he stood up, knowing he had to keep fighting. Hunger was a lot more difficult than he had thought, so much stronger even in Loki's body. But they had to keep trying. They had cornered him again, this time being prepared for him to make them turn on each other, being careful. Hunger smirked as he saw the state they were all in. His attention was suddenly drawn to the right, a soft purple glow washing over a nearby building, pulsing softly.

“Oh, what's this?” He muttered, taking a few steps towards it.

“Oh no.” Necronomicon gasped in their ears. “That's-! Stop him!”

Arsene immediately jumped into action, knowing that letting him get to that portal was bad. He slashed across his back, earning him a swift kick. Hunger snarled, making a claw motion towards Carmen and Milady, a burst of black fire washing over both of them. Both of them turned and started attacking their friends, berserk.

“You should deal with your friends first!” Hunger taunted, slipping away as Arsene got slammed into the ground with a psy attack from Milady.

“No! Fuck, no!” Arsene shouted, landing a curse spell on Milady before flying to try and catch him.

He was too late though, the portal winking out as Hunger disappeared into it. Arsene landed, sliding to a stop.

“NO!”

His friends quickly caught up, not asking when they see Arsene's frustration.

~~~~~~~~

Hunger paused, finding himself in some sort of meeting room, a pulpit raised at the front, with seats around it in a half circle. He tilted his head, seeing a small creature up on the stage, back turned. Hunger pressed closer, curious. The bald man turned around, the smirk wiping off his face as he took him in, his face turning into a snarl.

“So, you've finally decided to betray me, boy?”

“I am not who you think I am.” He purred, stepping closer.

How fragile the man looked, how he could see the wavering to his form. Hunger stopped again, staring hard. He could sense it was similar to his preferred food source, but so oddly shaped. He tilted his head, sensing a bit of familiarity to the tiny creature below him as well. He could feel the Pallbearer squirming inside him, tightening his hold on him to prevent his meddling.

“Stay back, or I will kill you where you stand!”

Hunger laughed, walking forward. The man was unsettled, backing up at his approach.

“Bold of you to assume you won't be my next meal.”

He leaped forward, snatching the man before he could react. He crushed the small body, the man gasping, gurgling as bones snapped, and then finally went limp. Hunger ate him, making sure to chew his food before swallowing. The ground beneath him shook, making him hum in thought.

“Perhaps it is time to make my exit.”

Hunger smashes the doors down, rushing towards what he could only assume was the exit. He leapt down into the hall below, the ground cracking upon impact, the shaking getting more intense as he exits the interior of the ship. He leaps off into the water, feeling the world shift around him. He blinks, seeing his surroundings are dark hallways with some sort of bizarre metal structure winding over and embedded in the floor. He sees the soft pulse of red veins interlaced throughout, and he felt warm, safe. Like he was Home.

“Hmm, strange. Time to explore, I suppose.”

Hunger wandered the twisting halls, hoping to get his bearings soon. But luckily, there were lots of creatures to hunt and kill for his amusement, even though all of them dissipated as soon as he killed them. It didn't matter though, as the power that was flooding through him from his latest meal was intoxicating and immense.

~~~~~~~~

After getting back home, seemingly where they had left off, all they had to do was drive the rest of the way down into the depths. Akira wiped away his last tears as his friends piled into the Mona-car. He went to take the driver's seat, being stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Makoto was staring at him, stern, shaking her head.

“I'll drive. Get in the back.”

“But-”

“I don't trust your emotional state being stable enough right now, Joker. Sorry.”

He relented, stepping back so she could climb in. He hopped in, sitting next to Ryuji with a sigh. They started driving, the silence a bit awkward.

“So… what was all of that about?” Futaba prodded, turning to stare him down.

“I… I had a crush on him…” Akira admitted and blushed, hiding his face.

“Oh my god, dude. Even though he was-?!”

“Yes.”

His friends were shocked. He sank down into the seat, hiding in his coat, thoroughly embarrassed.

Akira had just unlocked all of his friends’ cells, just got into the center room, Lavenza, Morgana and Igor there happy to see them, when he felt the world tilt on its head. He barely kept the bile down in his throat as he got sudden vertigo, and when he looked up, the blue light of the Velvet Room was gone. It was loud, it was dark, and Goro Akechi was standing in front of them, breathing hard, holding his side, pissed and exhausted. The boiler room of the ship hissed as the ship ran, Akira feeling dread run up his spine.

“You… criminal trash… you've ruined everything…” He snarled.

“This isn't right.” Akira gasped.

He exchanged looks with his friends, his confusion and desperation melding together. They stared at him for a moment, confused.

“We shouldn't be back here.” He hissed, reasserting himself, and he saw a flicker of understanding go through his friends.

“Why… why are we back here? This doesn't-” Makoto started before she was cut off.

“Oh, there you are, you failure.” a hollow voice laughed as Cognitive Akechi came into view, holding a gun to Akechi's head.

“You?!”

“Come on now, finish the job! Shoot them.”

“Akechi please! Think about our offer! We can still-”

Akira leapt forward, sliding to a stop as he aimed the gun right at his chest. Akechi took a deep breath, regret in his eyes.

“I'm sorry.”

“Yes… that's it.”

Akechi suddenly starts screaming in agony, dropping the gun and to his knees as he clutches his head. Everyone jumped, not knowing what was going on. Cognitive Akechi was wild, pointing the gun at each of them, not knowing what to shoot.

_This isn't what's supposed to happen!_

They watched as suddenly golden crimson blood started pouring from Akechi's chest as he clutches wildly at it, screaming, choking, gasping. Akira whipped his gun up and shot the cognition, running and sliding on his knees over to Akechi. He flinches upon seeing a hole in his chest that's flowing with the golden red blood and spilling down the front of him.

" _He's gone! He's gone gone what the fuck! Gone gone gone!_ " Akechi screamed in a full blown panic.

Suddenly the ship started shaking, throwing everyone else off balance.

“What the hell?!” Ryuji shouted.

“The Palace is collapsing!” Futaba shouted. “We need to get out of here, now!”

“Get over here now!” Akira ordered, pulling one of his smoke bombs out.

They all run towards him, Akira smashing the tool against the ground as he wraps an arm under Akechi's shoulders as they all poof back to the entrance, the shaking getting more intense.

“Go go go go go!”

Akira yanks Akechi up, dragging him behind them as they rush to leave the Metaverse. With Ryuji’s help, they make it out safely, all of them collapsing outside the Diet Building. Akira gets smacked as Akechi starts flailing wildly, pinning him down on the ground, taking a moment to catch his breath. Akechi is staring right through him lifelessly, breath ragged.

“What the fuck, Akechi?" Akira snarls.

"Loki gone. Hurt. Sick. Dying? No, close." He babbles hoarsely, seemingly not understanding Akira's confusion.

“Can… can a persona just disappear?” Ann asks Morgana.

“I… I don't know!”

Akechi coughing, sounding like he was going to hack up a lung, groaning.

“We can't just leave him here. C'mon, let's get him to Leblanc.” Akira said, picking him up, throwing Akechi's arm around his shoulders.

“What?! But Akira-!” Morgana started complaining, being cut off by Akira.

“We. Can't. Leave. Him. _Here._ ” Akira growled.

They stared at each other, everyone else wondering who was going to back down first.

“Fine. But you're on your own.” Morgana spat, jumping onto Haru's shoulders.

Akira and Futaba took the train back in silence, Akira fuming. Akechi was unconscious, Akira having Futaba give up her hoodie so they could get him back without anyone noticing who he was. Akira drags him upstairs, putting Akechi in his bed after checking him for any injuries. He goes back down to lock up the cafe, his mood sour. He walks back upstairs, getting an extra blanket out and throwing it on the couch. He goes to bed, deciding this was a tomorrow problem.

~~~~~

Arsene smacks the table loudly, growling. They had gotten back to the casino, all of them trying to figure out what to do. The Bookkeeper was nearby, confused and silently observing.

“We can't just sit here and let him get away with it in that world!”

“Calm down, Arsene. The rest of us don't know what that world is like, but you do. We can't do anything until you tell us what it's like.” Johana said coolly.

“Well, where I was…”

Arsene takes his time explaining what the Phantom Thieves had explained to him, shrugging.

“I didn't see their real world, but with any luck, he's lost in that labyrinth.”

“Interesting. Two different worlds, huh?” Zorro mused, his tail swishing behind him.

“I couldn't go to the other one.”

“What we need to do is find that portal again and go through it.”

Necro sits down, her fingers flying away at the keys.

“Hopefully, it ain't in the Ruins again.” Kidd grumbled.

And now all they could do was wait.

~~~~~~

Akechi groaned, stirring, feeling something cushioned beneath him. He coughed, the light too bright and stabbing into his eyelids to open them right away. He rolled onto his side, trying to will the throbbing headache to go away.

 _“My little prince! You're okay!”_ Robin Hood murmured, warmth and concern leaking from his voice.

_Where are we? Where's…?_

_“Well, Joker brought you with him. Loki, on the other hand…”_

Goro forced his eyes open, staring into that stupid dusty attic that belong to the trashy criminal. The trash himself was sitting on the couch, about to nod off, but glanced over to him.

“You're awake.”

Akechi didn't even dignify that with a response, curling up into a ball as another wave of pain rolled through him. He clutched at his chest, feeling it was whole again, but being the source of his agony.

“What the fuck.” His voice broke in the middle, his throat raw.

He heard Akira move, the stairs creaking as he left him alone. He tried to push himself up, feeling a twinge in his back and falling back onto the bed with a pained grunt.

_“Master, please take it easy.”_

Akechi huffed in response. He hated feeling weak, feeling pathetic, but he really couldn't argue with his body. He felt himself slide into unconsciousness again, sleep overtaking him.

~~~~~~

Akira walked back upstairs, seeing Akechi had passed out again. He sighed, wandering back downstairs. His friends would be arriving later.

“Hey, is he okay?” Sojiro asked gruffly.

“He's asleep again.” Was all he could say.

Akira could sense the resentment in Sojiro as he glanced up at the ceiling, huffing. Akira wordlessly put on his apron, deciding to just help him out today. The tv was blaring with the breaking news that Shido had suddenly collapsed of heart failure, being rushed to the hospital, no word on his condition.

“Don't know why you continue to stick your neck out for that kid after the stunt he pulled.” Sojiro muttered darkly.

Akira didn't respond. He started a quick sweep of the floors just to stay out of Sojiro's way.

_I don't know why either._


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have to get to the bottom of this mystery. And to get to the bottom of it, they have to get to the bottom floor of Mementos.

Akechi came to again, greeted by morning sunlight, breath shallow. He groaned, rolling onto his back and putting a hand over his eyes.

_ “Prince?” _

_ Too bright. _

He took time to even out his breaths, timing his inhales and exhales until he was breathing normally again. He started to sit up, his body sore and his pulse faster than normal. He put a hand to his chest, still not feeling the hole. He swung his legs over the edge, unbuttoning his blazer first, then his shirt. He looked down at his bare chest, pressing a hand to where the hole should be, confused. Akira walked into the room at that moment, a light blush on his cheeks. He quickly turned around, muttering an apology after Akechi glared at him. He quickly buttoned up, slightly embarrassed Akira saw him like that.

“Hello, Kurusu.” His tone was icy.

“Good morning, Akechi. Feeling better?”

“Why do you care?”

Akira sighed, running a hand through his hair. They could've cut the tension with a knife and served it like cake.

“Everyone will be here soon.”

He went back downstairs, not even waiting for a response from him. Akechi rolled his eyes, getting up and following him. He sat down in the booth, looking over to Sojiro and holding his glare. 

“Suppose I can't order a coffee from my favorite cafe's owner?” 

“I don't like serving murderers.” He snarled.

“Fair enough.” 

Akira reached for the coffee brewer anyway, making them both coffee. He set the cup down gently in front of Akechi, as if he would bite his hand off otherwise. He considered doing it for a moment, the thought amusing.

_ “Temper, my prince.”  _ Robin Hood reminded him.

He sighed through his nose and picked the cup up, drinking it. It was strange hearing only Robin Hood. This must be what it was like for the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Akira slid into the booth across from him, Akechi's good mood tanking a bit on having to see his stupid face. 

“You're up and walking around, so that's good at least.” 

The voice was trying to be cheerful and optimistic, but falling flat. Akechi rolled his eyes, not answering. He refused to play into his conversation, watching the Phantom Thieves slowly trickle in one by one, each judging and sizing him up. He did the same to them, and soon enough the tension was as high as the day he first blackmailed them.

“What the fuck happened back there?” Ryuji broke the silence, the effect almost immediate.

Everyone shifted, seeing who would make the first move, distrusting. Akechi looked Akira dead in the eye, not letting him look away for a second.

“You saw it, didn't you?” He internally winced at the scratchiness of his voice, but he kept going. “A hole. A hole right here.”

With that, he tapped his heart. Akira flinched, looking away, uncomfortable.

“You  _ saw  _ it.” Akechi growled, pressing the matter, leaning forward.

“That's close enough!” Morgana spat, jumping onto the table in front of Akira.

The cup in his hand was shaking, the coffee threatening to leap out and spill onto his hands.

“I felt like I was dying. I felt it  _ ripped  _ out of me! I shouldn't… I shouldn't be alive.” 

He slammed the cup into the table and his back into the booth, feeling another headache, rubbing his temples. He felt the flood of memories come back, memories of the future, of him bleeding to death in the boiler room, of the cold metal under his tongue, of Loki’s soothing words of hope for his next life.

“I should be dead, I should be dead, I should be dead.” He hissed over and over again.

Akira was a deer in the headlights, frozen, panicking. Everyone else was twitching, not sure if they should be holding him down or letting this happen.

“I died… I  _ died there _ , why am I alive again?!”

“You feel it too.” Akira finally whispered. 

Akechi was so stunned by his words he stopped, staring at him. 

“We… we watched you die… you… the other Loki said you…” 

_ Is… is he crying? _

Akira hid his face behind his hands, muffled sounds coming from him. Haru was by his side immediately, trying to soothe him, shooting glares at Akechi.

_ “The coin… it would've taken you to that other world… You would have crossed the Styx…”  _ Robin elaborated.

The coin Loki gave him. He was planning to put it under his tongue in this world, just to see what would've happened. His breath started coming in shallow again, heart racing.

_ So where the fuck is our Loki? _

Robin stayed silent, having no answer for him.

“We… we need to go into the Metaverse.” Akira muttered. 

“Huh?” Ryuji stared at Akira.

“There has to be something we're missing. We all should go back into the depths again.”

Everyone fell silent again. 

“We can't trust him!” Makoto and Ryuji yelled at the same time, gesturing at Akechi.

“Loki is gone.” 

“What do you mean gone?!”

“He's… he's no longer here. I can't sense him inside myself. Loki is missing.”

“How is that possible?”

“Do you think  _ I  _ somehow know?” Akechi snapped at the cat.

_ “Watch the temper.”  _ Robin scolded him again.

“Shut up, Robin.” He muttered.

_ “Control yourself, my little prince. They're trying to help you.” _

Akechi huffed, brushing his hair out of his face. Haru pulled Akira out of the booth and outside, quickly having a word with him. Akira poked his head into the cafe, unusually blank faced.

“Let's get going.”

The Thieves all stared at Akechi before he got up, brushing himself off, walking outside. They followed him, feeling their distrusting glares on his back.

_ Not like I have anything better to do, anyway. _

Once inside Mementos, Akechi gasped, falling to a knee, clawing at his chest. His black outfit felt too tight as he saw the hole, right where it was before. Golden red stains were rivers over the blue and black stripes, his fingers poking at the hole and making him whimper and tear up from the contact. 

“Akechi?!” Akira's voice.

“It fucking  _ hurts. _ ” He hissed.

He took several deep breaths before he switched his costume, sighing in relief, a few tears rolling down his cheeks. He wiped them away angrily, shakily standing up again. Joker hovered annoyingly close by as they descended, somehow still worried about him even after everything.

~~~~~~~~

“Alright, here goes nothing.” Arsene said.

They found another portal, same color, somewhere in the city. On the count of three, they all hopped through, everyone standing still as their eyes adjusted to the darkness.

“Shit, you weren't kiddin'.” Kidd said. 

Arsene turned to face them, making sure they were all there.

“Unfortunately, I cannot be of help here. This place changes on a regular basis.”

“Oh, of course it does.” Johana commented dryly.

Arsene shrugged, turning around and starting to head down a path.

“We can at least try for a safe room, and probably try to get a read on him. Careful though, nearly everything is hostile here.”

The group follows him, not wanting to lose each in the darkness.

~~~~~~

Akira grumbled to himself. Driving in Mementos was annoying at the best of times. But with Akechi there, it was almost unbearable, no one saying anything. 

“Do we have to fight that oversized cup again?” Ryuji muttered, leaning forward.

“Probably.”

“Ugh. Not looking forward to that.”

Akechi looked confused, but said nothing. Akira just kept driving, hoping something would happen soon. He felt a strange tug, slamming on the brakes. Morgana yelped.

“Hey! Watch it!”

“What the hell, Joker?” Akechi growled.

“Do you feel that?”

“It's like we're back in that other world…” Futaba murmured.

Akira concentrated, definitely feeling Arsene somehow below him. He started driving again, hoping to find the down stairs soon without much fuss. They did, having to only fight one group of shadows on the way. As they went down, they could hear a conversation happening ahead of them. Akira leapt down the rest of the steps, stopping upon seeing the back of his head on a winged body. It was a safe room at least, so they didn't have to worry about sudden ambushes.

“Arsene?”

He turned around, seeing him.

“Joker.” 

His friends joined him, having a stare off with their personas. They slowly made their way over, confused. Arsene perked up upon seeing Akechi, but also tensed his body. Akechi sighed, letting Robin Hood out so he could see him.

“How? Why?” Akira asked them.

“Well, sort of a long story. And,” Zorro turned to look at Robin Hood. “We remember you now.”

He said nothing, Arsene eyeing him quietly.

“We went through a portal, because well, big problem… have… have any of you seen Loki here?” Necro started.

The Phantom Thieves glanced at Akechi, who rolled his eyes. 

“No, why?”

“He's not quite himself anymore.” 

They expressed confusion. Arsene sighed, explaining the whole thing.

“So this ‘Hunger’ is now in your world somewhere, and we need to kill him quickly so we can go back home.” Arsene finished. “Problem is, this place is way too large.”

Akechi closed his eyes, humming in thought. 

“We would just need to keep going, wouldn't we? As far as we're aware, all of you can't leave Mementos.”

“That seemed to be the case last time I was here.”

“So we just need to continue going down. We were heading that way anyway.” Morgana said.

Akira's personas started whispering among each other, and Arsene put a hand to his head. 

“Hey mate, you alright?”

“What… what are all of these voices?!”

“Oh, uh, sorry. That's everyone else.” Akira said sheepishly.

Arsene blinked, gaping at him.

“You  _ live _ like this??”

“I kinda got used to it pretty quick.”

Akira shrugged at his exasperation.

“Hey, we should get going.” Morgana prodded, moving to the other staircase.

“Yeah, we're wasting time here.”

They all moved downstairs, now having another thing to look out for.

~~~~~~~~

Hunger stood before the path before him, seeing it climb up into the darkness. He took a few steps on the spine, pleased it held his weight. He kept going, seeing it get a little lighter as he went. He emerged, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. Buildings everywhere, red slowly taking over the blue of the sky, blood raining down in a continuous pour. Other spines weaved and threaded throughout the city, the dots below more of that creature he encountered in the meeting room. Above and ahead of him was a circular structure, grey and imposing. He felt a pull, looking behind him into the hole he just emerged from.

_ What is that? _

His body suddenly jerked backwards, nearly falling off the platform. Hunger regained his balance, dropping to all fours.

“Stupid bastard.”

Hunger snapped at him, Loki yelping in the back of his mind. 

“That wouldn't have hurt anyway.”

Hunger kept following the path ahead, seeing where it took him. 

~~~~~~~

“Crow, can you feel him?”

Akechi sighed, concentrating. The pull was faint, but he could tell it was still below him. It seemed to be moving slowly though, more upwards.

“Below us, and pretty far down. Though it seems he's starting to go up.”

“...How? The only way for him to go is down.”

“I  _ don't _ know, Joker. Stop acting like I do. I haven't even been down this far.”

Akira glared at him briefly. Robin tutted at him, but decided to not even push the matter. Longest car ride of his life. Eventually, they made it down to another safe room, taking a break. The personas were quietly talking amongst themselves, Arsene glancing over at him.

“I thought something happened to you.” Arsene said to him suddenly.

“I died.” He said bluntly.

Arsene was shocked, tilting his head.

“Whatever happened in your world when Hunger came to ours,” Makoto started quickly. “It seems to have thrown us all back in time.”

“That… that shouldn't be possible.” Johana muttered.

_ Because he couldn't exist otherwise here without me being alive. _

“Well, it happened.” Morgana said, shrugging.

Akechi straightened up, looking away. Robin Hood seemed tense, adjusting his bow in his hand. When he looked back, Akira was staring hard at him. He nodded towards the others, expectant. Akechi glanced at the others and quietly slipped him a middle finger while the rest weren't looking. Akira sighed and rolled his eyes at him in response. He slipped that hand into his pocket, feeling something cold. He pulled whatever it was out, staring at it. The coin glittered in the safe room lights, warm and cold at the same time. He put it back into his pocket, deciding to leave it be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has their memories and it is painful.


	3. Deeper Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom Thieves manage to reach the depths. And they find that much has been changed from last time.

Hunger was frustrated. It took forever to get anywhere. He was lost, that weird tugging persisted. And on top of all that, Loki was fighting him at every turn. He leaped from one pathway to the next, seeing other things up ahead. Angels. Like the ones back Home. It made Hunger pause. 

_ Is He here? _

He would have to find out, it seemed. He got moving again, hoping he could find something to eat along the way. He stopped again, looking down on the people below. 

_ That one creature had a heart, and it was strong, so maybe its kin… _

Hunger started making his way down to the street level, other mysteries forgotten.

~~~~~~~~

Akechi grumbled as they all took a break only a few floors down. He would rather they push on than to just sit around and talk. Robin Hood nudged him to join them, not saying anything else. Akechi glared at him from outside and leaned back against the glass of the safe room. Robin Hood sighed in his mind, turning to watch the conversation. Akechi closed his eyes for a moment, being startled when knuckles knocked on the glass behind him. He looked to see Joker sitting back to back with him, one leg crossed on his lap, staring up at him pointedly.

“You could join us, Crow.” He muttered.

“I could. But I don't want to.” He hissed back, looking straight ahead.

Joker didn't move though, making eye contact with him every time Akechi turned to look.

“What do you want?”

“Am I not allowed to sit, now?” 

“Not anywhere near me.”

Akechi glared at him, Joker staring back with ice in those silver eyes. Of course, in true Joker fashion, he ignored him, continuing to sit near him. Akechi huffed loud enough for him to hear before listening in on the conversation the others were having.

“...So we have no idea what our Robin Hood did exactly to put us in this situation.” Johanna finished, crossing her arms. “It’s not a magic that any of us are familiar with, in any case.”

“Whatever he did, it killed the thing's body, but not its essence. It ended up trapped in Loki's body when he got reborn. It's not like we can ask Robin Hood directly, anyway, because he's dead.” Necro continued, sighing. 

“So what happened to Loki?” Joker asked.

“Most likely, he's trapped in his own body.” Zorro answered. 

“Revenge for what Robin Hood did to it.” Akechi said. 

The safe room got quiet, tension between him and the Thieves more obvious now. Arsene got up, looking over everyone.

“We should get going. He's getting farther away the more we stay here.”

Everyone gets up, going downstairs to continue their trek.

~~~~~~~~

Yaldabaoth shifts slightly as He switches back, clawing the fingers of His disguise into the wooden table under His hand. 

Something in His reality is very different. And very wrong.

The prison is the same as it was before. The door to the Trickster's room still locked, still waiting for him. The light is still cold and indifferent, blue washing over bleak greys and blacks. 

The Wardens were gone, though. And not just one at once like usual when the Trickster is moving about, but both of them. Perhaps they were just out of His view? Left, right, behind. Nope. Gone. 

He pushed the chair out, the wood scraping a shrill note against the stone as He stood up. Something was deeply, deeply wrong. And He could not put His finger on it. The world was still under His thumb of course, that hadn't changed. And He could sort of feel the Trickster moving-

_ Wait. Why is there two of them?  _

He narrowed His eyes, staring at the ceiling. He flickered back into His actual body, lying in wait for the Trickster's attempt to kill Him. Nowhere in sight. Except, there was also no guards in His prison anywhere anymore. Or at least, He couldn't sense them.

“Where are my guards?” He hissed out loud, not caring who heard Him.

_ The Trickster is nowhere near- _

He reaches out, trying to get a read on anything unusual. The difficult, once rebellious prisoners that the Trickster had oh so helpfully brought back under His thumb were still-

There was only three of them He was sensing. Which shouldn't be possible either. They just stole that one's rebellious desire, so how was he  _ not here _ ? In His prison? Where he  _ belonged _ ?

He reaches out farther, even all the way back where He had sensed two Tricksters. He concentrates and focuses a bit more, refining His search. His eyes flew open at what He had discovered.

First, where He sensed a copy of the Trickster, there was His own pawn beside him. The pawn who they had killed off, mere moments before. There was something horribly off about His pawn, something He couldn't quite suss out from where He was at the moment.

Second, something like Himself was roaming about, and yet it was not at the same time. It also felt something like His pawn, but more hard to also identify as being His pawn at the same time.  

_ What is going on? _

Yaldabaoth retreats back into Himself for a moment, attempting to digest all this new information. He decides His best course of action is to wait this out, let the Trickster come find Him at the bottom, and defeat him and his precious group again. He can be patient. He will try to gleam as much information from the Trickster about this as He can, and perhaps He will be able to convince the Trickster to take His deal this time.

~~~~~~~~

“This place is huge.” Arsene muttered.

Akira stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking around.

“Something has changed.”

“What are you talking about?”

Akira gestured at the long spinal path ahead of them. The prison, though the first few sections they went through were the same, was completely deserted.

“That wasn't there before. And all the guards are gone.”

“He's right. We haven't had to fight anything in here so far.” Ann said.

Akira takes a quick look around with his third eye, trying to see if anything had been missed. He didn't see anything, exhaling and switching back to normal vision.

“Come on, let's get over to there. We might be able to see better.”

They move, running through the prison. Things were definitely a lot different, structures he did not recognize mixed with the prison layout. They got to edge, seeing a huge drop to the ground below. The spine stretched to the other side, but it just looked like sheer wall, nothing else. A squarish structure sat in the middle, close to the back wall, but it wasn't anything Akira recognized.

“Hey, that's the mausoleum!” Arsene exclaimed, pointing at it.

“From our world? What's it doing here?” Goemon asked.

“Dunno. Let's find out.” 

Arsene took flight, slowly spiraling down to the ground below. Everyone else had to find a way down, jumping after him. They join Arsene at the bottom, gathering themselves. 

“Is it worth going inside? With every minute we spend doing something else, we lose time finding this ‘Hunger’ creature.” Akechi asked.

“Well, this is as far down as we can go, right? We can't leave to your real world. I don't see the harm in checking it out.”

Akira glanced at Akechi, trying to read him. He gave up after a minute, seeing Arsene move towards the mausoleum.

“Shall we?” He asked, pausing.

“Let's go.” Akira said, following him.

Everyone else followed them, not having any other ideas. Akira could swear that faintly, off in the distance behind them, he could hear the clinking of chains.

~~~~~~

Sojiro couldn't believe his eyes. Luckily, he was not alone, as Sae had come by to see how the kids were doing. Blood steadily rained down, and they could catch the tops of what looked to be bones arching high into the sky. Despite his better judgement, he went outside to get a better look.

“What the hell?” 

“Do you think they're okay?”

“I hope so.”

He ducked back inside, explaining where the kids were.

~~~~~~~

_ “You could be a little more cooperative with them, my prince.” _

Akechi glanced at Robin Hood in disbelief. They were getting closer to the mausoleum, having to cross the entire room to get to it.

_ Once this is over, I am not staying. I do not care about them.  _

Robin Hood rolled his eyes, doubting him. Akechi scoffed, walking faster to catch up with the group. Joker kept looking over his shoulder, concerned.

“Joker, what's wrong?”

“I keep hearing ch-”

“Trickster.” a deep voice rumbled.

Everyone jumped as the Reaper appeared before them, staring down at Arsene. Arsene straightened up quickly, confused. 

“Reaper? How are you here?”

The Reaper gestured towards the mausoleum.

“It seems I already had a presence in this world.” It continued.

“That thing talks?” Akechi whispered out loud to himself.

The Reaper notices him, staring. It comes closer, Akechi backing up into Robin Hood as a response.

“Neither of you should be here.” It says, confused.

“Reaper.” Arsene got its attention, willing himself not to shake under its gaze. “You're able to sense Loki, right?”

It shook his head.

“Not anymore.”

“Is it possible for us to talk to Robin?” Arsene asked with only slight hesitation.

The Reaper regarded him with a tilt of its head. 

“I am not sure you'd want to do that.” 

“And why not?”

“Arsene, don't anger it.” Zorro scolds quickly, watching him bristle with anger.

The Reaper sighs, rolling its head around.

“It would be better if you don't. He is not as you remember.”

“The Bookkeeper restored our memories, we know who he is now!”

“That is not what I meant.”

Arsene exchanged a glance with Robin Hood, unsure.

“Reaper, please. We just want to understand what he did.”

The Reaper turns back to Akechi again.

“My Pallbearer gave you a coin, did he not?”

Akechi digs the coin out of his pocket, holding it out. The Reaper raises his hand, and Akechi tosses the coin to it, the Reaper catching it. It brings its hands together, covering the coin completely, and then brings it close to its face. It exhales slowly, muttering something before throwing the coin back at Akechi. Akechi catches it and then looks at it, the coin now black in the center with a gold outer ring. 

“That should let you talk to the last Pallbearer that died.” The Reaper explains as it crosses its arms over its chest, turning to Arsene. “Don't say I didn't warn you.”

Akechi closes his fingers around it, looking up at everyone else. Arsene huffed, turning and flying towards the building. Joker gestures everyone to follow him silently, not even looking at Akechi. Akechi glances up at the Reaper, who quietly stared back. 

“Good luck talking to him.” It murmurs, sitting on the floor. “I will be here if you need anything.”

Akechi runs to catch up with the rest of them, curious on how the other Robin Hood is different. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I haven't updated. Work and Nano has been eating all of my time. On top of that, I wasn't very happy with this chapter the way it was going so I had to make some changes and push some other things back into a different chapter because they just don't work the way I want them to.
> 
> I have no idea when the next update is, because my life is a bit hectic with the upcoming holiday season, but I should be back on track in December.


	4. Harsh Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chat with Robin Hood, but they soon come to realize why the Reaper was trying to warn them about him. Akira and Akechi butt heads.

Akechi enters after everyone, feeling Robin Hood flicker out behind him and appear somewhere ahead of him. He sees everyone ahead in a large chamber, gathered around something. He pushes forward, Joker and Mona parting for him to get to the middle. A turquoise pool sat in the middle, water still and somewhat eerie with the light it was throwing up. Akechi held the hand with the coin in it above the water, mentally counting down. He opens his fingers to drop it, the coin making no splash as it hits the water and sinks. A shadow formed on the surface, becoming a familiar shape as it came into focus and stood up. Akechi was staring into his own face again, but now in white.

"Hello my love. I did not expect to talk to you like this." Robin Hood speaks, a clear, strange rhythm to his voice. "It must be something important, though, if you brought your friends."

"The binding ritual. What were the specifics?" Johanna asked.

"Whatever for?" 

His expression sours as Arsene opens his mouth and starts explaining.

"The creature-" 

"Is loose? Ah. Then we failed. We gave our life selflessly for that, and you wasted the time I gave you."

"No, no, what you did, Robin, was selfish!" Arsene growled at him as he paced.

"And yet here you are, talking to my ghost, Arsene. Am I really the selfish one here?"

"Just tell us the ritual, the specifics Robin. We don't have time for games!" Zorro snaps at him. 

"You don't have time for this either. Besides, you asking for that ritual means you've already lost." 

Robin gives them a disarming smile, almost mirthful, but it didn't reach his eyes. Arsene seemed to be switching between grief and shock over Robin Hood's words.

“Please Robin, you have to help us. You're in danger too.”

“Darling, I'm already dead. It is not my problem anymore.”

Arsene winced. He folds in on himself, looking away and at the floor.

“This isn't you. You… you've changed. Death changed you.”

“My death, or others’?” Robin scoffs, crossing his arms.

“Huh?”

“What's one more death? Another five? A hundred?” Robin snarls, leaning forward. “All I ever did was alleviate the pain of dying for others, and you just accepted it because of the war. But you can't accept my own death? Is that it? I was already dead long beforehand, Arsene. You just never saw it. And you never cared.”

“That's not true!” Arsene yelled, getting up in his face. “And what was the point of doing that, huh? Just going and killing yourself, with no regards to the consequences? It wasn't your purpose! It was mine!”

“Arsene, you've seen that thing. Nothing we did to it even slowed it down!”

Arsene growled, trying to grip his shoulders, anything, but he was just phasing right through him. He let out frustrated snarl, glaring at him.

“But we could've come up with something if you had gave us some time!”

“Oh? Then what would  _ you  _ have done, hm?”

Arsene balked, trying to think.

“See? You don't know!”

“Like what you did was any better!”

“I not only protected all of you, I've made it able to be killed. Is that not your duty, Arsene? To kill it?”

“I…” Arsene started, backing up a few steps.

Robin Hood stared at him hard before he had a realization.

“You're hesitating...? You're holding back?”

Everyone turned to stare at Arsene. Arsene stammered for a moment, at a loss for words. He curled his wings protectively around himself. Akechi could feel his blood boiling with every second he has to spend hearing his sad shadow of a double talk so callously. Robin Hood, this version of him at least, was so cold and apathetic. He hated this reflection of himself.

“I don’t understand why I… Why do you have to die twice? I don’t want to kill you…” Arsene sounded on the verge of tears.

“Stop hesitating and just kill our body, Arsene.” Robin’s tone was cold as he leaned back against the wall of the room. “It’s not even us anymore, so put us out of our misery.”

Arsene stared, at a loss for words. Akechi could not take it anymore.

“Look you stupid self-righteous bastard,” He started with a snarl, walking over to him and getting up in his face. “How can you be so callous and tactless to your lover, hm? It's starting to sound like you never cared for him either, you asshole.”

Robin Hood scoffs, backing up.

“I don't have to take this from you. I did this for the greater good, not that  _ you  _ would understand. We're done here.”

He starts disappearing, moving back towards the pool past Akechi. Akechi reacts quickly, seeing what he's trying to do.

“Oh no you don't, motherfucker!”Akechi snarls, grabbing his arm. 

Robin is stunned as Akechi pushes him back up against the wall and starts tearing into him.

"You are such a gutless, selfish, self-righteous son of a bitch! If you cared at all for your so-called love, you wouldn't be this goddamned stubborn about this stupid spell. Even if you really didn't, you're dead! What they want with it shouldn't matter to you, so why keep it a secret, hm?"

Robin tilts his head, then laughs. 

"You really are a heartless bastard, just like me."

Akechi narrows his eyes, which seemed to just encourage him to continue.

“I'm right aren't I? That thing ate your heart too. I can see through your adorable party trick, you know. This isn't the real you, now is it?” Robin's voice dropped low and cold, the edge of a threat in his words.

“What is he talking about?” Arsene asked.

Akechi glanced over to him, seeing he was staring straight at him. He looked back at Robin, who simply smirked, gesturing him to go on.

“What. Is he. Talking about?” Arsene repeated, hissing.

Akechi took a deep breath and stepped away from Robin, mentally changing his costume as he braced himself for the pain. White and red melted to black and blue, splatters of golden crimson decorating around where his heart should be. This pulled a gasp from the personas, and he started gritting his teeth from the pain.

“There we go. Now, was that so hard to admit?”

“Fuck. You.” Akechi spat at him.

It took him a few moments to catch a deep enough breath for him to change back, stumbling backwards a bit. He clutched at the fabric over his heart, reassuring himself he still was fine in this outfit.

“Robin Hood. Please. I… I know the old you is in there somewhere.” Arsene begged. 

Robin looks guilty for a moment. 

"Four parts of the Trickster, cut and prepared equal in nature, shackles bathed for a day in the water of the Styx. Four arrows with one black feather in its fletching each. The shackles cannot be worn until you begin the spell. Words spoken with force and intent as the arrows are tethered, creating chains to bind and drag and rip. It was a banishment spell." Robin sighs, his form taking on golden shackles, though there were no chains attached. "That just delays the inevitable, and you know it."

“What you mean is it makes someone else suffer the consequences while you don’t have to deal with them.” Johanna said, getting Robin Hood’s attention.

“I don’t know why you’re all mad at me. I’ve made it easier to kill now. You should be thankful.”

“At what cost?” Arsene asked sharply.

“Come now, my life is not as precious as all of yours. It was a simple choice, really. Besides, you’re wrong. I  _ did _ suffer consequences.”

“Was it that easy to decide to kill yourself and wipe all our memories of you?” Zorro glared at him.

Robin looks extremely confused, staring back at Zorro.

“That’s not possible, Arsene didn’t kill us.”

Everyone stares at him in confusion. Robin sighs and crosses his arms over his chest, suddenly lookig exhausted. 

“I’m tired and I would like to go back to rest, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“I want you to know I did care about you. I even buried you, okay? Just stop saying such awful things.”

“There’s never anything  _ to  _ bury.”

“Wh-... what?”

“We’re done here.” Joker suddenly says, having heard enough.

Joker kicks at the water, watching the ripples distort both Robin Hood’s form and the surface, as they all watched him fade away. Akechi turns and runs out of the building, brushing past a despondent Arsene. He could hear the others running after him, not wanting him to leave their sight. He ran faster, not wanting to be near anyone anymore.

~~~~~~~~~

He was so confused he forgot about what he was going to do.

Hunger scrunched up his nose as he crouched down and waved a hand in front of one of the tiny creature’s faces. It didn’t even blink. He circled it slowly, experimentally poking it once, no reaction. It didn’t even turn to talk to him like the other one had. And none of their forms wavered. 

He pulled back and straightened up, looking around. He was street level now, but here the buildings were a lot smaller, even given the fact he had been forced into this tiny body. The red liquid was pooling, a thin layer rippling with every step Hunger took as he explored. He bumped into the tiny creatures, them being everywhere, but they still didn’t notice him. He could hear something, stopping and standing on two legs, scanning for the source. If he could play patient for a few minutes, it would most likely come to him.

~~~~~~~~~

Mishima noticed the rain first, bewildered at the lack of reaction from the other passengers at the crimson coming down from the sky. That, and the weird sound he heard, but he brushed that off to his nerves at the moment. He quickly checked what the upcoming stop was, noticing he was a change away from getting to Shibuya square. He decided that would be the best place to look for anyone else who noticed the change too, since it was always bustling. He made his way to the correct train, mentally telling the train to hurry up and close so he can get to the bottom of this mystery.    
  


Mishima ran up the stairs onto street level, giving a quick glance around. No one else here had noticed the change either, and they were just going about their day. He turned the corner, skidding to a stop to see a large black and white creature looking around, back turned to him at the moment.

_ What is that?! _

Mishima sees the thing start turning back around, dashing into the closest building just as he hears splashing coming towards him. He crouches down, trying to keep hidden as the monster gets closer.

“Where did it go?” The thing muttered.

The voice was hollow, but held a note of familiarity Mishima couldn’t quite place. He didn’t want to risk it finding him, staying still.

The thing growled softly, more splashing as it started moving again.

“Shut up, Chosen. You can’t do anything about it anyway.”

_ Is it talking to itself…? _

He fought the welling of curiosity in his chest and sat there, waiting until he could make his way safely ahead.

~~~~~~~~~

Akechi was near the wall, catching his breath as they caught up to him. 

“We need to talk.” Akira said, cutting off the question Arsene was about to ask Akechi.

Akechi straightens up and stiffens, glaring at him.

"What is there to talk about? Look, I didn't need anyone else. Once this is over we can go back to where we were last, me dying and all of you celebrating my death."   


"No. Not having it. Get your ass in gear, Crow. You're the one who wants to find Loki." 

Arsene goes to move closer to Akechi. 

"Don't touch me!" He snarls, making Arsene jump. 

"Huh? But-" 

"I was leading you on, you idiot. Take a hint."   


"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Akira snarled at him, getting right into his face. 

"What? Like you're surprised. It's not like you care about anyone else!" 

"Of course I fucking do! I'm not some murderous lunatic like you!" 

"Liar. All you care about is being the hero, right? That's all you ever care about!" 

"What would you know, you self-congratulating pile of sentient garbage?! At least I try to help other people instead of taking my daddy issues out on them!"

"Go fuck yourself, you worthless attic trash! At least I have fucking personal boundaries!" 

"The only trash here is you!" 

Ryuji and Makoto hurry to restrain him before he just punches Akechi.

"Listen you little piece of shit, you-" 

"Enough!" Robin Hood snarls, grabbing Akechi by the collar and dragging him away. 

"Let go of me!" 

"We need to talk."   


He shakes out of their grip and huffs before he sits down, deflated. Arsene sits next to him, wrapping a wing around him, saying nothing. 

"Asshole." His voice wavered slightly. He took his mask off and covered his eyes in one motion, shaking.   


" _ Absolutely not! _ " They hear Akechi screech from across the room. 

They all look, seeing Akechi stomp his foot. The two of them looked to be having a heated argument.   


"Dude's crazy." Ryuji muttered. "You okay man?" 

"Just need a moment." Akira mumbled, brushing his hair up and keeping his hand on his forehead. 

His eyes watered, but he didn't want to cry right now. Footsteps approached, making him look up.   


"Are you all right, Joker?" Robin Hood asked, concerned. 

Akira stared at him for a moment before he realized he was both alone and being genuine. 

"It's... been a day..." 

"I’m sorry. He is difficult, even for me." 

He crouches down to be at eye level, not getting any closer.    


"The two of you did see Loki, correct?" 

"Yes." 

"Did... do you...?" His face fell, faltering. 

"He only confirmed my suspicion." He notices that Akira's face pales rapidly, blinking. "I did not tell my prince, if that's what you were worried about. I... did not want him to inflict any more cruelty onto you."

His voice turned into soft reassurance, making Akira at ease. 

"...thank you." He felt tears fall, quickly wiping them away.    


"What was your Loki like?" Arsene ventured. 

Robin Hood glanced over at Akechi, deep in thought where he left him.

"Cruel, vindictive, and rather... possessive over him. I hated him, really. We did not get along."   


"Why haven't you tried talking to him before this happened?" Makoto asked, a bit too sharp. 

Robin Hood sighed gently.

"What could I do? It was always two against one. I took the smallest victories where I could get them." He stood up, looking at all of the Thieves. "Convincing him to make friends with Joker was the best I was allowed to do. And all of you have had a greater influence on him than I ever did." 

The voice turned sad, bitter, and guilty. He looks back over at Akechi, perking up.   


"Excuse me, he's asking for me." 

Robin makes his way back over to Akechi, giving Akira one more apologetic glance over his shoulder. 

"You know, I believe that's the most we've ever heard him talk." Yusuke mused.   


_ So, this is how Loki felt. _ Arsene thought, wrapping an arm tighter around Joker. 

"I'm sorry." He murmured, Akira glancing up at him. 

He rests his head on top of Akira's, fully embracing him. Akira didn't move away, burying his face into his chest.    


"Okay. I'm good." Akira muttered as he pulled away. 

He stood up, dusting himself off. Arsene gets up, quietly questioning him through their bond. Akira didn't quite answer, watching Akechi and Robin Hood talk. Akechi came walking back after a few minutes, Robin close behind.   


"Okay, so now what, leader?" He asked, no hint of venom or malice in his voice, just resignation.

“Well, who would know the most about this situation?” Akira asked.

“Presumably, the Reaper would. Loki was connected to it, after all.” Necro answered. “But there’s no guarantee it will give us a straight answer.”

“We can try.”

~~~~~~~~~

“Ah, you’re back. I presume you need something from me?”

“Is it possible we can see your memories with Loki?” Necronomicon asked. “We want to understand what happened to him.”

Arsene stares directly at the Reaper’s face as it let out a hum, considering the question.

“I don’t have a lot, and well. They aren’t very good, I’m afraid.”

“Robin wasn’t helpful. Loki’s perspective might shed light on all of this.”

The Reaper glances over at Akechi, almost concerned in its body language as it shifts to stand up. It holds out a hand towards Necro, palm up, waiting.

“I assume you would have the know how, correct?”

She nodded, grabbing its hand, speaking quickly. A screen appeared in front of them, starting to glow slightly. They watch through the memories, the Reaper saying nothing, just controlling what he showed to them in full. They see Loki freaking out over the body, Arsene feeling guilty about the scratches visible on his face. Heard how angry he was at Robin Hood. Occasionally hear static obscuring what they assumed to be his thoughts. Arsene frowned when he saw Loki sitting on the rubble they found Robin’s body, concerned. One memory of Loki pacing back and forth, annoyed. 

_ "Robin Hood this, Robin Hood that. He doesn't exist but he's the only one Arsene wants! I don't get it! We're still-!" Loki catches sight of his reflection, deflating immediately. "...here."  _

They watch him swallow thickly, shrinking in on himself, touching his face. 

_ The Reaper reaches out to him, Loki shying away, glancing at him.  _

_ “I don’t understand.” He murmurs quietly. _

_ “Robin-” _

_ “That’s not our name. Stop calling me that.” _

_ Loki leaves without a goodbye. _

Another memory, Loki walking down a hallway. Midway through a conversation.

_ “Look, it’s not like  _ **_you’re_ ** _ helping, okay? Just let m-”  _

_ He freezes as he opens the door a crack, seeing Arsene enter.  _

Arsene stiffens as he starts hearing himself talk to the coffin, seeing the immediate reaction on Loki’s face.

_ Loki spins and presses his back into the door, sliding down to the floor and clutching a book to his chest, upset. The Reaper glances up to Arsene and back down as Arsene rambles on. _

_ “We’re right here. We’re right here.” Loki mouthed, eyes watering. He holds the slightly charred book out as he quickly mutters something, staring at its cover. “...How do I stop feeling this way? Please, please tell me.” _

_ “Sorry. I would tell you if I knew, my dear.” A voice, wispy and feminine slides into their thoughts. _

They all frown as they hear Loki groaning in pain in the next memory.

_ “Why… we should be better at this the second time around! Why aren’t we better?!” Frustrated.  _

_ “You were much older then.” _

_ Loki groans again, the static getting louder. _

Another memory. 

_ Loki catching sight of Arsene taking off, pressing his back against the building he was behind, smitten, hands holding a black feather to his chest. He seems to come go a realization after pulling his hands away to look at the feather, frowning _ . 

“He kept that?” Arsene muttered quietly to himself, surprised.

_ "Oh... right..." He tears up a little before looking back up, catching sight of the Reaper. _   


_ "Master, what are you doing here?" Loki asks, quickly hiding the feather behind his back as he stands up straight.  _

_ "I came to check on you. But you seem to be preoccupied."  _

_ "Shut up..." Loki mutters, but there was no bite to his words. "Don't you have something else to do anyway?"  _

_ "Pallbearer, you know what I've said before."  _ _   
_

_ "I know. I'm not an idiot. If there was a contest for Arsene's affections, I wouldn't even be in the running." Loki is downright miserable as he says this. "He's never going to love me. Besides, he's so much happier with his friends."  _

_ "Aren't they your friends too?"  _

_ "I don't know anymore. Kidd hates me for his own reasons. What if the rest of them start hating me too?” _

_ They’re both back at the Ruins, Loki pacing. _

_ "There had to be another way... right? This couldn't have been the only way they'd survive?"  _

_ "I believe you already know the answer to that."  _

_ Loki crosses his arms, shaking his head.  _

_ "I refuse to believe that was the only way. Just because he didn't think this through and asked-... you. Why didn't you ask us to reconsider?!"  _

_ "My dear, may I remind you that I asked if you were sure and you did not hesitate to answer."  _

_ "You didn't even try!"  _

_ "You were going to die either way, and you know that. You decided it was better spent protecting them." The Reaper reaches out to brush his face, but Loki backs away.  _

_ "No! Don't touch me! This is partly your fault too!" Loki snarled at it. _

“This is when he blocked his thoughts from me entirely.” The Reaper says, wiggling its fingers once as it changes the memory again.

_ The Reaper goes to check on him, he has his back turned to the door.  _

_ "Please. Any advice you can give me. Anything." Loki murmurs, holding a white mask in his hands. _

_ A voice gravelly and deep, yet still managing to be soft, speaks in the Reaper's mind.  _ _   
_

_ "It will fight dirty, it will use everything it has in its power to force you to give in. All you can do is delay it. Slow it down. Fight it as long as you can. You are not going to come out on top, I’m afraid. You're not going to come out of this at all."  _

_ Loki slumps forward, pressing the mask into his chest.  _

_ "I know that's not comforting... But I'm not going to lie to you. That would be cruel."  _

_ "Okay. Thank you anyway." He just slowly curls up, not moving.  _

_ "Pallbearer."  _

_ "I thought I said go away." _ _   
_

_ “Are you doing okay?” _

_ "We're nobody. Nobody at all."  _

_ "That's not true."  _

_ "What's the point when nothing I’d do will ever be enough?!" Loki laughs bitterly. "Nothing matters, I'll be gone and erased anyway. Again..." _

Arsene started to reach out for Loki, to try and comfort him, but stopped when he realized it was futile. It wouldn’t do anything, it was just a memory.

_" **Motherfucker.**_ _ ”  _

They hear a raspy voice snarl, making them jump, watching the Reaper suddenly perk up where it was. 

_ “Pallb-” _

_ “Of course, of course it’s  _ **_both_ ** _ of them! Why did I expect any differently from either of them?! I can’t even talk to him without him reminding me how much he hates me! Why do I still care so much!? Twenty-five years and I still…care...” The voice trailed off, depressed. _

_ “Pallbearer?” _

_ “Can’t you just kill me already?”  _

_ “You know that will make it worse.” _

_ “Then fuck off.” The voice growled, staticky, before Loki silenced his thoughts again. _

The Reaper sighed quietly, shifting. Everyone immediately paid real close attention to the memory of the fight, how Loki shifted his demeanor so suddenly, becoming animal like. The Reaper and Loki trading blows, relationship forgotten in the heat of battle.

_ “You...you aren’t really going to kill him, are you?” A different voice, also feminine but deeper, worried.  _

_ “No! He’s just a child! Please!” The wispy voice yelled. “It’s not worth it!” _

_ A chorus of voices were yelling in the Reaper’s head, begging with it to not kill Loki. _

“Wait, a child?” Carmen asked.

“Compared to the previous Pallbearers, he is extremely young. He hasn’t even matured yet, and he’s nowhere close to that age. He doesn’t even have all his powers. So yes, the others consider him a child, if you will.” The Reaper gently explained. “To be quite honest, that might be the only thing saving you.”

_ The Reaper found Loki had fallen asleep in the little pool in the mausoleum.  _

_ "Pallbearer. Wake up dear."  _

_ He groans, opening his eyes.  _

_ "You know you're not supposed to sleep in there."  _

_ Loki sighs and starts pulling himself out. His voice was gravelly as he spoke. _

_ "I know. It doesn't matter, I won't live long enough to have it affect me."  _

_ The Reaper sighs, offering a hand.  _

_ "It's... the only place I can sleep."  _ _   
_

_ Oh, you're not even using your other voice."  _

_ "What's the point?" Loki hangs his head. _

_ The Reaper sighs and turns, stopping when its hand is grabbed.  _

_ "Wait. Can... can you stay? I don't want to be alone." He mumbled.  _ _   
_

_ The Reaper sits down, quiet as Loki leaned against it, sighing deeply. It looks down as Loki shifts, head on its shoulder, staring up at the ceiling. It was quiet between them for a moment before Loki crawls into its lap, settling down with a sigh. He rests his head on its chest, idly poking one of the chains. He looked pale and weak and exhausted. The Reaper starts idly rubbing his back, watching him carefully.  _

_ "You’re using a lot of energy too quickly, hiding those." It commented, breaking the quiet.  _

_ Loki glances up, sighing deeply before saying something a little too quickly to be understood. Gold chains appeared, wrapped up and around his chest, rubbing against his neck, connected to the shackles. He poked and prodded at them, grumbling. _

_ “They’re too tight, too heavy. I don’t like looking at them.” _ _   
_

_ “Are you okay after our fight?” _

_ Loki blinked, confused. The Reaper tilted his head. _

_ “Do you remember anything?” _

_ “Uh… Joker and his friends left, I think. I.. remember trying to go home, and… “ He stiffens, immediately looking guilty. “Oh, I hurt Zorro. He must hate me now.” _

_ “He’ll be fine. Are you okay though?” _

_ “I didn’t want to hurt them.” _

Arsene shifts, looking down.

“I don’t think you want to hear the next memories.” The Reaper said as it paused the memory there, glancing at them. 

“Show us.” Arsene replied, not even looking up.

They could hear Loki screaming in agony, begging to be killed. Arsene glances at Robin Hood, seeing Crow cover his ears and Robin look away. A quick switch to the most recent one. 

_ “Arsene please kill me please please please you said you would.”  _

Arsene flinches, backing away. The words are drowned by static, and before long it cuts off completely. The Reaper pulls its hand out of Necro’s, who was standing there shocked. 

“I can’t contact him anymore. Whatever it did, it cut our connection.”

“But I could find him.” Crow says, quietly. “I’m still connected.”

The Reaper nods, turning away from them.

“So let’s go, then.” Joker says, going back towards the stairs. “There has to be a way out of here.”

Arsene followed, trying to keep his guilt from overwhelming him.

_ Loki tried to reach out to me, and I just turned him away. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super proud of this chapter but I feel too bad to just not update after so long. This chapter was a bit of a struggle, so hopefully the next chapter will be easier.


	5. Confined, Confronted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they manage to find a way out of the prison and go to find Hunger.

At the next safe room, Akechi drags Robin Hood outside for a talk, impatient. He was angry that Robin Hood not only embarrassed him by yanking him away like that in front of the Phantom Thieves, but the fact he dared to scold him so openly infuriated him.

“I don’t know what sort of game you’re playing at, Robin.” Akechi hisses at him. “Embarrassing me like that and saying such things.”

“I art thou, thou art I, is that not the contract we’ve made, my difficult prince?” Robin huffs, crossing his arms over his chest and straightening up. “And just because the truth isn’t  _ convenient  _ for you, doesn’t make it any less true.” 

“Look, I just can’t-! I can’t accept this. And the fact that you didn’t tell me so I-”

“You were finally happy!” 

Akechi steps backwards, reeling from the force of his interruption. 

“For once, for once, you were happy. You always felt at peace in that cafe, especially when he-”

“Stop it.”

“-was there working. You liked when he greeted you sweetly, you-”

“Stop!”

“-had fun with him playing chess. Just because you didn’t see the signs-”

“I don’t want to hear this!”

“-doesn’t mean it didn’t happen!”

Akechi glared at Robin Hood, Robin not backing down, drawing his shoulders back to appear taller.

“I am a reflection of your heart, Goro. Just because you favored Loki over me does not make what I say any less true.”

“But out of everyone in the world?!  _ Him? _ You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Robin Hood rolled his eyes at him.

“You’re the supposed ace detective here, maybe you can figure it out.”

Akechi narrowed his eyes at him.

“I don’t. Appreciate. Your tone.”

“Then you better start, because you can’t threaten me with Loki anymore. I refuse to stay silent in the face of your cruelty any longer. I can’t stand seeing you continue to hurt yourself like this.”

Akechi’s mouth dropped open in shock. Robin Hood slouched as he continued, so unlike his usual self.

“All I wanted for you was to do the right thing, and be happy. I chose to settle for you being happy over doing good, because clearly I wasn’t able to change you. Not with Loki around, anyway. Joker makes you happy, and if you can’t see that, then… well, perhaps I’ve failed you, in that regard.”

Robin Hood sighs, disappearing from in front of him and going back into his heart. Akechi stands there, recovering for a moment. 

_ Robin. Get back out here and continue our conversation. _

Robin Hood stayed where he was and silent. Akechi grumbled in his throat, making his way back inside. He slipped back into his usual spot, catching Joker full on purposefully ignoring him. 

“Crow, where’s Loki now?”

Oracle’s voice snapped him back to the moment, taking a moment to concentrate. Loki seemingly was coming closer, though he was still pretty far.

“Seems to be coming back towards us.” He answered evenly. 

“That’s not good, but that’s not bad either.” She muttered.

“Well, we’d find him easier, won’t we?” Skull asked.

“You’re not wrong, but, uh, give it a second thought?” Panther suggested.

“Oh. Right. Dangerous. But why’s it coming towards us?”

“He could have hit a dead end like we did.”

Joker did not even glance up at the rest of the group as they started discussing. Akechi hummed in thought, very rarely providing input on his own conclusions, as he was also very much in the dark what Loki’s body was doing. He turned to Zorro, who was quiet with an occasional tail twitch every now and again throughout this whole conversation.

“How… open, would you say, is this thing to talking?” 

“I mean, it talks. I doubt you could talk it down into stopping.”

There’s a lapse in conversation as everyone else parsed what he just said.

“What are you planning?”

Joker’s voice was cold and prickly, glaring right at him. Everyone became a bit more tense.

_ Oh, he’s furious.  _ Akechi thought, yet he couldn’t help but feel a little proud he got Kurusu to stop ignoring him.

“I am simply thinking out loud and asking questions. They’re the most familiar with what we’re going to be facing, after all.”

“Uh-huh.” 

Akechi rolls his eyes at him, practically daring him to start another fight. Joker did not stop staring at him until they left the safe room.

~~~~~~~~~

_ “How’s ignoring him going for you?”  _ One of his personas asked snidely.

_ Will you shut up? I’m driving. _

As the other personas started teasing him, Akira’s grip tightened on the wheel until his knuckles became white, gritting his teeth and risking a glance at Akechi through the rearview mirror. That persona went to comment again, and Akira felt Arsene quickly smack it. It grumbled at him, mentioning he was a fake.

_ Arsene… _

_ “What? They’re being rude.” _

Akira sighed deeply, relaxing his grip a little as he refocused on the road. Futaba side-eyed him, but otherwise left him alone.

_ This is the worst. _

_ “You know, I’m here for you, if you want to talk.”  _ Arsene murmurs quietly.

_ It’s kinda embarrassing. I don’t wanna talk about it right now. _

“So, now what? We just go back to the Grail and try to kill it?” Ryuji asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well, we need to find a way out of here, right? It’s our best bet at this point.”

“So how did Loki get out of here when all of us can’t?” 

“I don’t know.”

“Well, if we can get back to where we were before, I suspect it’ll be easier on all of us.”

Akira fell silent as the others started talking. He glanced in the mirror again, catching Akechi’s eye. His gaze was intense yet unreadable. Akira flicked his eyes back to the path ahead of them, trying to keep his focus elsewhere besides the detective.

 

“Well, there it is.”

Akira tugged his gloves up, trying to hide his nervousness at seeing the Holy Grail again. He knew it was going to be a bit lonely before he can free the others after they get imprisoned.

“What is that?” Akechi asked.

“Unfortunately, it’s our way out.” Akira replied.

“What do you mean unfortunately?”

Akira doesn’t respond, he just starts going down the stairs. The others follow him down, steeling themselves for another round.

 

Shibuya was different. Shibuya was _ wrong _ . The last few moments before he hit the ground, Akira saw Loki turn the corner, pausing, eyes searing into him as he collapsed. The sky was raining crimson and he was soaked when he fell onto what used to be dry pavement. He could hear splashing loudly coming towards them before everything went dark.

 

Groaning, Akira sat up slowly, the chains clinking as he raised them to his head. The headache was worse the second time around. He got up, moving to the door of his cell, immediately noticing the twins were no longer there. The fake Igor sat, looking as smug as ever. Except there seemed to be a few cracks in the act He was putting on.

“Well, looks like you have failed to prevent the Ruin, dear Trickster.” 

Akira blinked, saying nothing, waiting for him to continue.

“What, no comments? You must understand the severity of letting the Ruin happen, don’t you?”

“Ah, you have no idea what’s going on either, do you?”

The fake Igor’s eyes widened in surprise, stuttering.

“You feel it too, don’t you? Things have changed. The game we are playing has changed.” He continued, voice dropping into an accusatory snarl.

The lock burst into flames as Akira felt his rebellious spirit come rushing back, pushing open the cell door.

“Ah, so you are aware. You’re much more observant than I’d thought.” 

The fake Igor stood up, grinning wickedly.

“So what is the meaning of this?” Akira growled, summoning Arsene to his side.

Arsene unfurled his wings, tense and ready to fight. The fake Igor stared at Arsene in confusion.

“Ah, so you were the other Trickster I was feeling. As for the meaning, it means you and I can just drop the formalities, correct?” 

A red glow started forming around Him, staring down Akira.

“Though, if you still wish to make that deal to keep you and your friends safe, to put the world back to the way it was…” He purred, extending a hand.

“No. I’m aware of your lies now.”

“Ah, a shame.” The fake snapped His fingers, meaning to summon the twins. “Girls, come!”

Except He didn’t summon Caroline and Justine. Lavenza dropped in, turning around and glaring at Him. 

“Where is my master, you deceiver?” She demanded, jumping back to be by Akira’s left side, hand raised.

The Holy Grail straightened up, angry now.

“Oh, you determined, sad and disgusting creatures. I will see you again soon, now won’t I, boy?” He snarled.

Akira raised his hand to send Arsene at Him, but the Grail snapped His fingers and disappeared. All three of them released their tension when Igor’s table slammed into the floor in front of them. Arsene took a step back, confused, as the other two rushed towards him, concerned.

“Master?” Lavenza murmured, worried. 

Igor groaned, sitting up and opening his eyes. He opened his mouth, but stopped, mouth agape, at Akira and Arsene in front of him.

“Something has changed.”

“Yes, I’m not sure what, exactly, but something from his world is wreaking havoc on mine.” Akira quickly explained, gesturing to Arsene.

“It calls itself Hunger.” Arsene said. “We’re trying to stop it, but we need to find it first.”

Igor and Lavenza exchange a look, deeply concerned now.

“I’m sure you’re aware where all your friends’ cells are?” Igor asked.

“All but one. But it shouldn’t be too hard to find.” Akira said, nodding. “Arsene, just wait here, okay?”

Arsene nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and tapping his foot as Akira ducked out into the hallway.

~~~~~~~~

Akechi leans against the wall of the cell he was trapped in, back in his real world clothes. Robin Hood had disappeared, and now he was truly alone for the first time in three years. 

_ No one is going to come save me. I’m stuck here forever, where I belong. _

He perks up at the sound of footsteps approaching, tensing up and preparing for the worst. 

“Hey.” Akira said, dressed in his thief outfit, leaning against the wall across from him.

“Hah, didn’t think anyone would come for me, least of all you. Unless you’re just here to rub it in.”

“No, I came to help you.”

Akechi sighs, hugging himself.

“Look, you don’t need to fake sympathy for me. I know what I’ve done. I’m a monster, okay? I don’t see what you’re trying to achieve by freeing me.”

“Who said I was ever faking?” Akira muttered, before taking a moment to exhale slowly. “The fact that you’re even here means that deep inside, you do want to redeem yourself. I’m not here to accuse or make fun of you. I want to help. And I can’t help you if you’re not willing to reach out.”

Akechi stared at him, genuinely surprised. He felt something shift inside him, a spark of resolve.

_ “My little prince, you should be more honest with your feelings.”  _ Robin Hood whispers, faint and barely there.

Akechi looks away from Akira, hiding the faint blush on his cheeks. He coughed, trying to clear the blush away before swallowing his pride. 

“... Deep down, I consider you one of my only friends in this stupid world.” Akechi let out a bitter chuckled, pressing a hand over his eyes. “That sounds so pathetic, doesn’t it? A murderer considering one of his many victims his friend.”

“Because I treated you like one.”

“Yeah, and look where that got us.” Akechi muttered, gesturing around them vaguely.

“Hey, it’s not too late to reconsider the offer I made you in Shido’s palace.”

Akechi blinked, trying to think back to that conversation. 

“Becoming an official Phantom Thief, right? No blackmailing, no threats.”

“Mhm. Are you willing?”

“I’ll join you, but on one condition.”

He sees Akira tense up, unsure.

“Do you really consider me your friend?”

“I do.”

_ He didn’t hesitate. _ Akechi noted with a hum.

“Then I accept.”

Akechi grinned, standing up as he feels his powers rushing back to him and watching the cell door disappear. He gasps and stumbles forward, forgetting that his black outfit was technically his true self. To his credit, Akira reacted quickly, catching him before he hit the ground. Akechi gritted his teeth, changing his outfit as soon as he was able to focus long enough. He scrambled to get up, brushing himself off and turning away from Akira.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He mumbled, embarrassed. “Let’s just go.”

If Akira saw anything, he kept his mouth shut. He walked past him and down the hallway, leaving Akechi to hurry up and catch up with him.

_ “You did well, my prince.”  _ Robin murmured fondly.

Akechi said nothing, being led to a circular room where a strange long nosed man sat at a table, a little blond girl holding a book, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Arsene cocked his head before disappearing back into Akira’s heart at the moment.

“Well, welcome to the Velvet Room, all of you. I’m Igor, and this is my assistant, Lavenza.” 

“Igor, we need to get back outside. The world has changed so much since the last time.” Akira started. 

“Yes, I’ve noticed.” Igor glanced at Akechi briefly before looking back to Akira. “As much as I can understand, the Ruin has started much earlier than it was supposed to, correct? Not to mention, something else is intent on causing havoc.” 

Lavenza was staring right at him, concerned. Akechi shifted under her gaze, crossing his arms over his chest. She walks over to him, blinking up at him, hugging her book close to her chest. Everyone else was too engrossed in conversation with Igor to notice she had left his side.

“Only half a heart, huh?” She asks quietly, reaching for his chest. “Does it hurt?”

“More than you could imagine.” He mumbles, dropping his arms so she could touch his chest.

She quickly flips through her book, frowning as she closed it again. 

“I can numb it a little, if you’d like.”

“Sure.”

She concentrated, mouthing something quickly. A blue glow formed around her hand, warming that spot somewhat. He didn’t really feel much different at the moment, but he’ll most likely find out what changed later.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything more I could do for you. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you for trying anyway.” Akechi muttered.

He looked up as Akira stepped back, seemingly done with the conversation Akechi had tuned out briefly. 

“Let’s go.”

~~~~~~~~~

Akira paused at the top of the stairs, hand on the door. He heard the others stop behind him.

“Akechi. Why do you want to talk to it?”

He didn’t answer. Akira turned to see him hesitating.

“I thought maybe, and bare with me, I could distract it, maybe have the rest of you ambush it while it’s unaware.”

“It might just kill you though.” 

“And? I was going to die anyway. Actually, I’m still very surprised I’m not dead already, considering.”

With that, Akechi brushes over his chest, and Akira’s stomach drops. 

“It’s fine. I think I’ll be okay. I have Robin Hood. And you guys too.”

_ Is he finally warming up to us? _

Akechi shifts, looking uncomfortable under their stares.

“Look, let’s keep moving and find it, yeah? It’s going to get harder to find the more we sit here and not look for it.”

“Right.” 

Akira pulls the handle down and pushes, the door scraping against the floor a little. They were back in Shibuya Square, but Loki was nowhere to be seen. As everyone released their personas, Akechi quietly took to the front, closing his eyes and concentrating. 

“Come on, follow me.”

Akechi moved forward, Akira motioning for all of them to follow. The streets were still filled with people going about their business, but they didn’t see how the world had changed around them. The fact that the red liquid was now almost ankle height everywhere but no one else could feel it was deeply disturbing. 

“How does no one else see this?” Ryuji muttered.

Akechi stopped ahead of them, peering around a corner. 

“There he is.”

Akira slides up next to him, taking a look for himself. Loki was stretched out on top of one of the spines, eyes closed, almost relaxed.

Akechi pulled back, letting the others see for themselves. Akira joined him, waiting for everyone else. 

“So, it looks like there is some cover up ahead, so we won’t be too far away.” Makoto said, pointing it out. 

“Are you really sure you want to do this, Crow?” Akira asked.

“I’m sure. Let’s just get this over with.” He sounded almost annoyed.

Akira nodded, turning back around. He crouched down, the rest following him as he made his way over to the aforementioned cover. Akechi summoned Robin Hood, both of them exchanging a look.

“You don’t have to do this.” He whispered gently.

“But I do.” Akechi whispered back.

Akechi stood up, breathing slow, walking towards Loki with his head held high. Slowly, they watch the white and red melt into black and blue, Akechi stumbling a little before gaining his balance again. Akira was tense, hand hovering over his gun.

~~~~~~~~

Akechi stands alone at the spinal structure, black outfit on, throwing his mask on the ground as he approaches Loki's form, who hasn’t moved at his approach. The Thieves stand behind him, tensed up and ready to move the second a fight begins. 

"Loki." He calls out, coming to a stop. 

Loki opens his cold, golden eyes, staring down on him.

"Oh, look who it is. Come to worship me at last?" 

"Came to talk, actually." He said coldly. 

"Mm, of course you did. Poor little thing. How's the heart?" 

"You ate it, I'm told." 

"Oh? Then you have nothing to fear, do you? But call me Hunger, dear, because Loki is gone."   
"Release him." 

Hunger laughs. 

"You demand on no threat, my dear. Even if I truly wanted to, I cannot. This is retribution for what he did to me after all. He did it to himself. Though, breaking him was fun. I’m tempted to release him only to do it again." 

Akechi glares at him. Hunger slides off the spine, landing with a loud splash.   


"Don't you want to be whole again?" Hunger asks, voice honeyed and low. 

Akechi said nothing as it disjointedly moved on all fours towards him. 

"We are alike, you and I. A victim of circumstance, correct? They could never understand like I do, you know this." 

He slides a claw into the hole in his heart, making him shiver and tense up. He now knew why that Loki was so nervous all the time. Its voice was very alluring. 

"You have ambition. A desire for power. I can fulfill that, and so much more. The pain will stop too, if you accept me." Hunger presses his face close, golden eyes boring into his unmasked face, falling quiet.    


_ “Goro, he'll kill us like he killed Loki. You’re stronger than this, you’re better than him. _ ”

Akechi gasped as the claw slid in deeper, through his chest and out his back.

"Why stop at one man's death, why not take the world too? I lay the world at your feet, so that you may cause it suffering like it caused you. Justice is subjective after all, isn't that right?"   


It was silent, Akechi's mind fragmented and trying to piece together a coherent thought. It burned having something poke through the hole in his chest. Robin Hood was tugging him back towards the thieves, begging, pleading with him to make the right choice. Hunger clicks his tongue, breaking their staring contest. 

"Oh, of course the hypnotism wouldn't work on you. What else would I expect from the Pallbearer’s counterpart." 

It laughed coldly, twisting its finger to put a claw into the skin above the hole. He felt blood pooling there as well, and he made a decision. Akechi spat in his face as Robin Hood hits him with an arrow. Hunger ripped his claw out, kicking him a few feet away. He was gasping on the ground, switching to his white and red outfit as he tried crawling backwards.

"Just. Like. Him. I offer power, cooperation, love, and you throw it away!" It hissed, jumping and pinning him down, teeth near his throat. "I’m sure your heart will be even better the second time around."    


The other personas moved as soon as the arrow hit, driving Hunger back. Hunger lets out a howl, a bunch of shadows moving in on them. 

"Say your prayers, because you wont stop me!" Hunger snarls, starting to circle. 

Robin Hood helps Akechi up, standing protectively in front of him as he gets passed off to Akira.   


" _ You! _ " 

Robin Hood snaps his head up right as he gets hit with a heavy almighty spell and knocked back. Akechi hisses in pain, getting up and looking towards Robin Hood, concerned.

"I am  _ not _ making the same mistake  _ twice _ !" 

Hunger rushes towards him, furious. Arsene moves in to intercept Hunger, going to claw him. Hunger anticipates and changes his action, slamming his hoof full force into Arsene. Arsene yelps, being thrown hard into the ground and skidding across it. Akira grunts, staggering for a moment.

"Arsene?!" Necro yelled.

"Ow ow ow! He's so much stronger?! How??" 

He’s struggling to get up fast enough. Hunger snarls, moving around as the shadows come forward. Everyone jumps into action, making a tight formation as they’re closed in.

~~~~~~~

With the addition of the shadows, it was becoming a difficult fight to keep track of. Hunger rushes Akira as a different shadow launches a heavy fire attack at him.

“Seth!” Akira shouts, summoning a large black dragon.

Hunger’s eyes widen in surprise as the fire gets reflected onto the shadow, turning his head back right as Akira swings his gaze and arm towards him.

“One-shot kill!” 

Hunger grunts as a sudden harsh piercing pain throws him backwards, sliding on his hooves backwards as he lands on all fours. 

“What?! What even are you?” He snarls, standing up again, throwing another almighty spell at all of them.

Akira moved, the spell brushing against his side as he ducked behind cover. He spotted Arsene high in the air, doing his best to antagonize and slow Hunger down as everyone fought the oncoming shadows. 

“Joker, you okay?” 

“Just a bit winded, but I’m fine. How’s everyone else Oracle?”

“Mostly okay. You all look like you’re starting to get tired though.” 

Akira heard rapid splashing coming towards him, leaping up to his feet. 

“Where’s Hunger right now?”

“Zorro and Kidd have him distracted at the moment. If you buy me a little time, I can give you all a little boost.”

Akira rushes towards the sound, intending to catch it off guard and kill it quickly. He turns to find a blue-haired boy in a Shujin uniform running away from the shadows chasing him. Akira raises his hand, having Thor send a lightning attack at the shadows, driving them off. The boy runs into him, Akira catching both of them before they tumbled to the ground.

“Mishima?! What are you doing here?”

“Akira? What’s going on?” 

Another shadow leaps at them, Akira grabbing Mishima by the shoulders and spinning them both around so his body would take the brunt of the attack. The hit never came, as they were both yanked up with a gust of wind and a snap of wings. A pained grunt came from above them as Arsene dipped a little with the weight, sliding off into a side alley and putting them both down. Blood was running down his wing and into the water.

“You two okay?” 

“Arsene, your wing-”

“It’s just a scratch. I have to go back and help Carmen.”

Mishima was rapidly glancing between the two, bewildered. Arsene buffeted them with his wings as he took off again, throwing a curse spell right at Hunger’s back. Hunger slashed at him, just missing.

“That- that thing looks like you!”

“He usually doesn’t, but uh, I can’t really explain right now. You need to get out of here, Mishima.” 

“But- what, what’s going on?! And what is that?”

“Look, just get down!” Akira snapped, pushing him behind a dumpster. “Don’t let that thing see you.”

“Joker, heads up!” Futaba yelled.

Akira turned as Ryuji was thrown right into him, knocking him over. They groan, Ryuji recovering quicker and helping him up.

“Hey, sorry man, that thing got me good. Wait, Mishima?!” 

“Ryuji?!”

“We don’t have time for this! Stay here Mishima! Let’s go Skull.”

The two of them rushed back to the fight, the shadows still coming. Hunger managed to grab Arsene and throw him at Zorro, knocking both of them over. 

“They just keep coming!” Johanna growled as her and Makoto take out a couple more shadows.

Akira catches movement out of the corner of his eye, watching Akechi run up a pile of rubble, switching to his black outfit again.

“Loki! Megidolaon!” Akechi shouts, pointing towards the wave of shadows.

“Crow, what are y-?!” 

Hunger growls as he’s compelled to turn around and wipe out some of the shadows helping him.

“Ooh, I had a feeling I should’ve killed you first!” He hissed, shaking and trying to turn back around.

Akechi coughs and switches back, the hold he had on Hunger breaking. Hunger summons his sword and charges towards him.

“Come here you little brat!”

Akechi hightails it out of there, running back towards the group and dodging the shadows. Akira switches his persona again, hitting Hunger with a heavy bless attack as Akechi ran past him. Akechi grunts as he switches again, Akira glancing at him.

“Persona!”

Hunger suddenly turns and slashes another shadow in half, struggling to break free of the control Akechi had on him. 

“I broke my chains once, I’ll do it again!  _ Wait until I get my hands on you! _ ” 

Akechi stumbles and switches back, holding his head as Arsene dive bombs Hunger, giving him a deep gash across his shoulder blades.

“Sorry, I can’t hold it for very long, it hurts too much.”

“Just do what you can.”

Akira focused, switching his persona. It was going to be a very long fight.

 

“Joker!” Ann shouted, making her way towards him.

Akira was slammed against the wall of a building, sliding down it until he was sitting in the water. His vision was hazy, the sudden hit having taken the wind out of him. They cleared the shadows, but Hunger had been relentless, had barely even slowed down. Yusuke threw an ice attack at Hunger, snapping its attention to him as Ann came to Akira’s side. She pressed a hand to his stomach, getting off a small healing spell, enough to clear his vision.

“You okay?” She asked as she helped him up, letting him lean on her.

“We… we have to retreat for now.”

“But-”

Akira shook his head, gesturing at everyone. Everyone was just about exhausted. Akechi looked ragged and pale, and Akira didn’t want to risk him keeling over.

“We can’t keep this up. We need to regroup and form a plan.”

“Okay, but how are we going to drive him away?”

“How’s everyone doing on energy? Do we all have enough left for one more spell?” He asked over their connection, straightening up a little in Ann’s grasp.

“I think that’s all we have left.” Makoto said.

There were several mutterings of agreement. 

“Alright, I think if we all attack at once, it might drive him away enough for all of us to retreat.”

_ “Retreat?! But-!” _

_ It’s our only option right now, Arsene! _

“Right, here, I’ll power you all up.” Futaba said, and a moment later Akira could feel stronger.

“Alright, everyone, let’s do this.”

All at once, they move, making a tight half circle Akira catching Ryuji’s eye and gesturing towards where they last saw Mishima. Ryuji quickly gave him a thumbs up, moving to be close to that alley. All of them fire off a spell at once, the combined force slamming Hunger into one of the spines crawling through the asphalt. Hunger grunts, clutching his head, dizzy. Ryuji dashes to the alley, picking Mishima up bridal style and running back to the group, all of who are moving towards the station. They dash down the stairs as they hear Hunger start to recover and move towards them, shouting abuse at them. They all stumble onto the train to Yongen-Jaya, Akira practically collapsing onto one of the seats. Ryuji puts Mishima down as the train starts moving, going to Akira.

“Shit, you okay man?” 

“Exhausted.”

“What the hell was all of that?” Mishima asked, recovering from his stunned state.

“We’ll explain when we get to Leblanc. If it’s still okay.” 

They all fall silent, trying to gather themselves enough to be able to walk to the cafe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing is still hard. But uh, I hope this chapter makes sense, I've edited it a lot and added and subtracted bits until it made sense to me. We are getting into the thick of the angst now.


	6. Take Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They come to realize some horrible and unsettling things about Hunger the Thieves' other selves had not considered before.

Loki groans, slumped over as far as his chains allowed, feeling like his back is bleeding. He couldn't just let Hunger hurt his other self, though. He could feel he had changed somewhat, through their patchy connection.

"Ha! Music to my ears." Hunger sneered. "Why even protect the little bastard when you hate him?"

_"Fuck. You."_

Loki gasps as he's pulled up roughly, choking slightly.

"Still have a mouth on you, I see." Hunger spat.

_"I'm glad he still has control over this body! Ngh!"_

The chains dig into his neck, cutting off his air for a moment.

"Shut up. I still have you where I  _want_  you, remember that."

He slumps forward again when Hunger relaxes his hold, his attention elsewhere. Loki watches as Hunger picks a few people off the street to eat them, wishing he could close his eyes and not have to watch. But then again, the sounds would be unbearable.

~~~~~~~~~~

Despite all the weirdness, Yongen-Jaya was pretty much the same, except for the pooling rain water, of course. They push through, Akira and Futaba sighing in relief that the cafe had not been changed in the slightest. The two of them rush forward, renewed energy at worrying about Sojiro. Futaba reached the door first, throwing it open.

“Sojiro?” Futaba called out, frantic.

“Futaba? Akira?”

Sojiro emerges from the back, rushing towards the two of them.

“Oh thank god you two are alright!”

He wraps them both into a hug, Akira hissing in pain as he presses down on the bruises on his back. Sae stands up from the booth where she was sitting, seeing Makoto enter along with everyone else. Sae makes her way over, checking her over to make sure she was okay.

“I'm okay, sis. I'm fine.”

Everyone else filters in, Akechi last. Robin Hood tugs on his sleeve, pulling him back outside. Akira gets curious and hovers near the door, propping it open slightly in order to eavesdrop.

"My little prince, you should stop. You're tearing yourself up on the inside when you switch like that."

"What does it matter, I was dead anyway."

"It matters to me. I want you to be safer."

Akira picked up on the tone of Robin’s voice. It was the voice of someone who had given up long ago, and now was just trying to minimize the damage.

“But I could feel him trying to reach out. I'm closer to him in that outfit.”

“Goro, please. Please don't overdo it.”

Akechi sighs, starting to turn to the door. Akira stands up, closing the door and deciding to sit in one of the booths. All of his remaining energy drained from him as soon as he sat down, slumping forward, putting his head on the table.

“Akira?” Morgana asked, jumping up next to him.

“I'm fine.” He mumbled, propping himself up with a hand.

Everyone took their seats, quiet.

“Hey, we should have a discussion with everyone. We need to make a plan, after all.” Makoto said, leaning back into the booth cushions.

“Uh, is that a good idea, considering how big they are?” Haru asked.

“I mean, we could move upstairs. More space, probably.”

“Yeah, but you look like you don’t want to move, Akira.”

“Well, you’d be right.” Akira muttered, shifting up more.

“I’m sure they’d all fit, as long as Arsene keeps his wings in check.” Futaba said.

_“Hey…”_

_Just be careful, okay?_

One by one, they released their personas, surprising Sae, Sojiro and Mishima. Arsene tilted his head at Sae, curious. He pulled his injured wing closer to his body, hiding it.

“Arsene, what’s wrong with your wing?” Zorro asked.

“It’s just a scratch, don’t worry about it.”

“That looks way nastier than just a scratch. Let me see that.”

Carmen and Zorro move towards him at the same time, concerned. Arsene steps back, almost wary.

“Arsene, will you please let one of them look at it?” Akira asked, glancing up at him.

Arsene grumbles, giving Carmen a nod as he sits down on the steps, grumpy. Carmen unfurls his wing somewhat, tsking at him.

“Your feathers are a mess, hun.”

“They’re not that bad. Ow.”

“That was fake, you baby.”

“Uh…” Sojiro says, looking between the kids and the personas.

“We can explain.”

“They're our other selves from another world, to put it simply.”

“Hello.” Milady greeted the other three, giving them a little wave.

“So why is yours different, Goro?” Sae asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Because our version of Robin Hood has been dead for years.” Zorro explained.

“But that thing looks like him. That thing in Shibuya Square.”

“Loki is trapped in his own body.” Akechi said. “Loki is their version of me. But something has… possessed him, for lack of a better term.”

“Ha, that's certainly one way to put it.” Zorro leaned against the counter, ears flattened. “But we need to discuss everything we know about it, right?”

“That's the idea, yes.” Makoto said, leaning forward a bit.

“Well, we can start with the advantages we do have over it, if someone wants to figure out how to explain what we actually know is true.” Johanna started, rolling her shoulders back.

The rest moved over to Arsene and Carmen and started talking among themselves while Johanna looked at all of them.

“For one thing, it doesn't appear to be quite used to Loki's body at the moment, or at the very least it's not used to standing on two legs. Secondly, since it is in Loki's body, he will be more likely to tire out. The third would be that Hunger doesn't know how to deal with Joker. Which, by the way, your power is incredible.”

Akira nodded, sitting up.

“I'm limited in what I can do, but thank you.”

“Shouldn't we count outnumbering him?” Yusuke asked. “Surely that gives us some advantage over him?”

“Yeah, you really would think that, but…” Zorro said as the rest dispersed around the room again. “Nine of us wasn't able to kill it the first time. Eight of us could barely match it in our own world.”

“So what Robin Hood was saying wasn't a lie? That it was really hard to even hurt?”

“Oh no, we could hurt it. It just wouldn't stop.” Necro explained, getting an idea and quickly projecting a screen onto the wall behind the booths. “Actually, here. That's what it used to look like.”

They saw a massive, blinding white creature, towering over several buildings, with a shark like head and no eyes, four legged, a thick trunk like tail swinging side to side as it walked, a huge club at the end of it. Spikes ran from the end of its head down to rest before the club tail end, stark black and seeming to ooze ever so slightly. Gold was striped all around its body.

“That's what it used to look like?!” Ryuji exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Yup. But, uh, to be fair, whatever Hunger was doing in its old body, it was really screwing with Robin. Like, he was losing a lot of focus and seemed to be dizzy all the time.” Arsene mentioned, propping his head on his knee.

“Plus, since it's in Loki's body, it's much weaker. Or, at least it was.”

“Let me guess: it's stronger here?”

“And we don't know why. It would get slightly stronger every so often, but not this much of a jump.”

“Great.” Ryuji muttered, leaning back.

“What else can you tell us about it?”

“Not much, unfortunately. It was the seventh large creature we fought. It was more interested in eating and destroying buildings than it was in fighting us. It seemed to heal really fast.”

The personas all looked at each other, trying to think.

“Oh, uh… I watched it eat a heart in front of me. That was disturbing.”

“Wait. You what?” Morgana asked, voice pitching high in near panic.

Arsene shifted uncomfortably.

“It ripped a heart out of someone's chest and ate it. I saw it happen with my own eyes.”

He shivered at the memory, mumbling something to himself.

“Wait, Necro, did you notice anything after that?”

Necro hums, turning off her projection while she thought.

“Oh, yeah! It did get stronger. But not by a lot. Not like this.”

Morgana and Futaba lock eyes and seem to come to the same horrifying conclusion.

"So that's why Shido’s palace collapsed." Morgana muttered.

Akira's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he realized what they meant.

“Oh, fuck no.”

The personas were confused.

“What's wrong?”

“Okay, so, well, uh. That thing gaining power? Not as random as you thought.” Morgana stood up, a nervous expression on his face. “I believe that, well  _we_ believe, rather, that it's gaining power by eating hearts.”

“That thing really did eat Robin's heart, then?” Akechi stood up, scared. “And mine. Or, at least half of it.”

“And Shido's. No wonder why it's so much stronger. That palace was massive.” Futaba finished.

“Whoa whoa whoa, hold on, back up. What are you talking about?” Zorro said, standing up again.

“Okay, so, quickest I can explain. We can move between our real world and what we call the Metaverse. It's a place based on people's mental cognition of the world around them. And some people’s desires are so corrupted that their hearts form a palace. Which, the more corrupted they are, the more the world around it is twisted in the Metaverse.”

“And Shido's was massive. The whole world was water for miles around his palace.”

It was quiet for a few moments, everyone looking concerned.

“So, now what?” Carmen asked, brushing loose feathers off her hands.

“He's… He can't be unbeatable… can he?” Ann looked at everyone.

“No, we have a chance.” Arsene shook his head and stood up, other wing being pulled back in.  “We just need to figure out how to beat him.”

“Goro, what do you mean your heart was eaten?”

Akechi look at Sae, straightening up under her glare. He glanced at Robin Hood before looking her in the eye and sighing.

“It'd be easier just to show you.”

Akechi breathed deeply, letting out a hiss as he switched to his black outfit. Robin Hood quickly grabbed him by the shoulder to keep him from falling on his face. Mishima let out a strangled cry and hid behind the counter. Sojiro became pale as Sae backed up in shock, the three of them seeing the hole in his chest. Akechi casually pokes it, his finger going right through.

“Oh, it's gotten bigger.” He muttered, pulling the finger away to find it covered in more of the golden red blood.

“Dude! Cut that out!.”

Akechi switches back, trembling for a few moments. He pushed Robin's hand off once he felt steady enough.

“Wait, you were able to make him stop for a little bit!”

“Sort of? Hunger is fighting me, though, so I can’t hold it for long.”

“Do you know how Loki is doing?”

Akechi looked down, sort of pulling himself in.

“He was protecting me from Hunger’s wrath while we were connected. He’s aware of what’s going on. He feels like he’s weak, but he’s still fighting, or at least he’s trying to.”

“So… he really does know what’s going on…” Arsene murmured, saddened.

“Oh, the poor dear…” Milady said, putting a hand to her cheek.

Arsene shifts farther away from the group, not looking Akechi or Robin Hood in the eye.

“We have to try to help him. But how?”

“We would have to kill him. That’s how it’s supposed to work, right?” Makoto said, guilty at saying it out loud.

“Well, yeah b-”

Arsene was cut off by the t.v coming to life, loud static filling the room.

"Is this what you wanted, Robin Hood?" Loki's voice, bitter and angry and really close to them.

Everyone looks towards the tv, confused.

"Is that...?" Arsene moves to the tv, grabbing the sides of it. "Loki, can you hear me?"

"You selfish bastard! You had everything and you threw it away!"

Arsene jumped as the t.v. bursts more static and then shuts off. He leans in close, tapping the screen. Everyone else starts standing up, on edge. Milady closes her eyes and concentrates for a moment.

"It’s him, but it seems like we're just hearing his old memories." Milady says quietly. "I can't really tell if it's on purpose or not."

“Sheesh, ‘e sounds pissed.” Kidd muttered.

“Alright, look, we can’t just go right after Hunger again when we’re all tired. We need some rest, and then we can go and try to fight him again.” Akira says, quickly trying to get everything under control.

There were murmurs of agreement. Akira sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. Now that they know what they are fighting, this was going to be tough.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunger didn’t really notice it at first, but more and more he began to see. The world was subtly changing around him, almost closing in on him, with a bunch more screens turned to constant white static. He blinked, straightening up. The buildings seem to shift away from him again, making him shake his head. He was just imagining things. He was pacing, keeping an eye on where the others had escaped.

“The little bastards have to come back some time.” He grumbled.

_“I hope they do, so I can watch them kill you.”_ Loki spat.

He gave a low warning growl to the mouthy prisoner, which shut him up quick. He look back up to that towering structure, curiosity sparking inside him again. He wanted to know just what was inside that thing. He glanced down the staircase he couldn’t fit into, wary of the Group coming to fight him again. A moment passed, then another three or four with no signs of them reemerging. Hunger turned, deeming it safe enough for now to make his way towards the structure.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Arsene emerged once Joker had come out of the train station, looking around Shibuya. Once everyone was together, they pushed forward, determined.

“Wow, there’s a lot more t.v.s around.” Noir said as they all moved together, alert.

"You knew we couldn't stay! You knew! You fucking liar! Why did you get his hopes up like that?" Loki’s snarling voice burst through the static of the closest t.v., startling them.

Arsene backs up, a flash of anger passing over his face before he gets upset. He looks at everyone, pointing up in an unspoken question. Joker nodded, Arsene taking to the air above them. Not very high, so he could drop in and protect them if needed, but just far enough off the ground he could see a good distance away.

"He's dead, stop it. Stop talking about him. Stop! We're dead! Why couldn't you forget us like everyone else?" Loki’s voice was tearful and accusatory.

“What the hell is going on?” Joker muttered below him.

“Hunger might not be aware that he’s doing this at all.” Johanna reminded him. “But projecting Loki’s inner thoughts like this is... Strange…”

“You know, it’s almost like that bank palace we went to. Everytime we deciphered a passcode it would play Kaneshiro’s innermost thoughts.” Queen mused.

“‘E just sounds so angry, but ‘e’s never acted like that towards us at all.” Kidd spoke up.

“To be fair, he was avoiding most of us on fear of us starting to hate him like you and Arsene did.”

Kidd sighed, muttering about not knowing. They pushed forward, being cautious, listening for the next growl of static.

"He only recognizes me inside the mausoleum, I could have him stay, but… No, I can't do that to him, he'll... he'll hate me there too."

Arsene’s stomach dropped, suddenly reminded of what he was talking about.

_So he did remember I’m claustrophobic. Oh shit, I really hurt him back then._

"You should have told him the truth in the first place, Robin. But then again, Arsene wouldn't let you kill yourself then, would he? Ha."

Arsene drops a little, gliding for a bit. He sees the rest of them stop below him, dropping down to see what was up. They just seemed to have come to a crossroads, talking about which direction to go next.

“Hey, why don’t we go towards that thing? That seems as good as any place to start?” Skull pointed at a structure, getting a shrug from Joker.

The city seemed much darker the farther they went, causing some confused looks from the Thieves. Arsene decided to walk, just wanting to be close in case something happens.

"Why can’t I do this? Whats wrong with me? We've done this before..." Loki sounded nervous and confused.

“Like he said in one of the Reaper’s memories.” Panther muttered.

The roads seem to be trying to lead them astray, all of them having to work harder to make their way to their destination. The closer they had gotten, the more sad and desperate sounding Loki’s memories had gotten.

“Why does he love you so much when you’ve left him behind? You...  you haven’t even bothered to ask about me like the others, have you?” Loki laughed hysterically. “You… You abandoned me…”

“Yikes.” Mona commented, tail twitching.

“Wait, why would he even think that? He was the one who refused to talk to Robin, right?” Arsene’s voice was sharper than he intended.

“You know, while we were looking through the Reaper’s memories, I didn’t hear Robin Hood at all, did any of you?” Crow said, stopping ahead of them and looking pointedly at him.

Johanna shook her head as everyone else talked briefly among themselves.

“No, he’s right. We heard what I’m assuming were the past Pallbearers’ voices in the Reaper’s head, but not Robin.”

“No wonder why he was angry. Robin Hood didn’t even bother.” Skull muttered.

Arsene opened his mouth to defend Robin, but quickly shut it, thinking back to their meeting earlier in the mausoleum. They continued on, reaching one of the spinal structures that would bring them up and above the pooling water and towards the structure.

"I’m so pathetic, loving someone who wants me dead." Loki hissed.

Joker offered a hand to his teammates, helping them up. They trudge on once they’re all together again, being careful not to fall.

"Dying would make Arsene happier, wouldn't it? I mean, I do want to make him happy, after all..." Loki’s voice was neutral, but so weak and scratchy it was almost hard to hear it.

"That’s so fucked up." Skull blurted out. 

Arsene pauses, watching the snow crackle on the tv for a moment. He thought about every single thing he’s done to Loki over the years. Replayed every single one of his cruelties in his head. It was killing him on the inside.

"I made him feel this way..."

The rest of them stop for a moment to turn towards him.

"I... I did this to him."

"I’m sure Hunger was also messing with his perception. I doubt it was all your fault." Mona said, but it didn't really comfort him.

“Hey, come on. We have to do this. For him.” Joker said, tugging his sleeve.

Arsene looked down at him, yanking his arm out of his gentle grasp. Joker looked hurt at the action, but Arsene just did not care at the moment what he thought.

“I’m the monster here. I did all of that to him, and he… he just took it.” He whispered, knowing he would break down into tears if he spoke any louder. “He took all of that for years and he… all he wanted from me in his last days was a kiss from me, since he knew he wasn’t going to…”

His wings pressed against the ground as he dug his claws into his arms, trailing off, overwhelmed by guilt.

“Arsene, come on. Please. He needs you now.”

The t.v. crackles to life again, pulling their attention to it.

"I don’t get why Joker cares so much, I’m not worth saving."

Joker frowns deeply, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down at his feet. Arsene glances over to Crow, who stiffened, unnerved. Robin Hood looked really concerned over him, crouching down to whisper something. Arsene looked them all over, realizing he had to pull himself together if they had any chance.

“Come on. Let’s do this.”

Arsene took to the air again, turning his focus on destroying Hunger and ending this once and for all. He heard the rest of them scramble to keep up. He had to do this. He had to. It was their only choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Henlo I'm terrible. But uh, early xmas gift? Yay?


	7. The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They reach and face down Hunger a second time. What could possibly go wrong?

Akira perked up upon seeing Lavenza and the Velvet Room door ahead of them, in a wide, circular space, free of monsters.

“Lavenza.” He called as he moved towards her, getting her attention.

Lavenza looked up and gently smiled at him.

“Good to see you Trickster. Doing well? Need anything?”

“A refresh would be nice, if you could.”

Lavenza nodded, waving her hand over the group. They all felt better almost instantly.

“Thank you. Did you see Hunger pass by here?”

Lavenza hummed, rubbing her thumb over her book.

“He passed me, I hid. He's up ahead.”

“Okay, thank you. Glad you're safe.”

Akira turned back to see everyone had broken off into smaller groups and were talking, except for Robin Hood and Akechi. They were off by themselves, Robin rubbing Akechi's back while he looked distraught, having a quiet conversation. He started walking over to the two of them, the both of them stopping their conversation as he got close.

“Robin Hood. Can I talk to you?"

He looked at Akechi, who simply shooed him with his hand before turning around, moving to lean on one of the bones clawing up at the sky. Robin Hood sighed, standing up. He followed Akira off to the side, intending the conversation to be private.

“Is something troubling you, Joker?”

“You don't have to call me that.” Akira mumbled, losing his train of thought for a few moments. “Have you given up on him?”

“I'm not sure what you mean?”

“Earlier, it sounded like…”

Robin's eyes widened a bit, before he kneeled down to his eye level.

“Sneaky little eavesdropper.” He joked half-heartedly, before clearing his throat. “My little prince can be hard to talk out of something once he's set his mind on it. I'm doing my best, but I can't make his decisions for him, no more than Arsene could make your decisions for you. I don't want to give up on him, but I know there's some fights I can't win.”

“Like him trying to kill himself.”

“If his plan worked out like he intended, you and Shido would be dead and so would he. I'm only one half of his heart, little thief. Loki is the other. And he's a bit… unnerved by all of this.”

“Is it because he feels the same way Loki does?”

“Oh, the two of you just love to make this difficult for yourselves, don’t you?”

Akira tilts his head at him, confused. Robin sighs and stands up, circling around to his back. Akira feels himself being pushed forward, steered towards Akechi.

“Hey, hey, hey! What are you-”

“Joker, please. Go talk to him. It would be good for him to see I'm not the only one who cares about him.”

Robin gives him a little shove forward, looking stern. Akira goes to protest but drops it when he sees Robin slouch, concerned.

“Please, Joker. Please. I… I'm not getting through to him.”

Akira glances over to Akechi, his back still turned to them. He places a hand on Robin's arm, waving him to come down. Robin does so, crouching down to hear whatever Akira was going to whisper. Akira kissed his cheek first, surprising him.

“Please don't give up on him.”

Robin nodded and stood back up, Akira turning around and walking the rest of the distance to Akechi.

“Hey.”

“What?”

Akechi didn't even look at him, staring at the ground below them.

"How are you doing?"

Akechi side eyes him, looking back out over the square.

"It's weird, hearing my own voice say stuff like that. But I guess I have the same question. Why waste your time on me?"

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb. You're a good person, a good friend. I'm not really worth the effort."

“Because I care about you, okay? As your friend, I want to make sure you're doing okay.”

“So why not just talk to Robin? Robin would tell _you_ anything you wanted, I'm sure.”

“Because I want to hear it from you.”

Akechi's hand subtly shifted and squeezed up and down his upper arm, betraying his nervousness.

“I've never planned for living past this year. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Because ruining Shido was all you cared about.”

“If it wasn't for all of you…” Akechi started, looking away.

“So you really would have gone through with it.”

Akechi sighed, standing up. A flap of wings made them look behind them. Arsene was moving towards them before being stopped by Robin Hood, the two of them having an animated conversation.

“I'm still thinking about it.” Akechi muttered as he looked forward again. “You… ah, nevermind.”

“What? What about me?”

It was too quiet in between them.

“We shouldn’t be friends.” He whispered.

Akechi pulled away from the edge and made his way to Robin Hood faster than Akira could process and respond to what he said. Akira sighed, sweeping his broken heart aside and walking back to Lavenza. He passed Makoto, tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention.

“Give me like five minutes and we can get going.”

She nodded, Akira entering the Velvet Room. He was gonna need some serious strength and versatility for their next fight with Hunger, that's for sure.

~~~~~~~~

“I can feel he doesn't trust him completely, and after their earlier fight-”

“I understand you're worried about Joker, but he will be fine. Crow will not hurt him. He doesn't have it in him right now.” Robin Hood interrupted gently, brushing off Arsene's shoulder.

Arsene sighed, pressing his forehead against Robin's. Robin didn't pull away, letting him stay there.

“I am keeping an eye on the two of them. Crow just needed someone to talk to him. Someone like Joker.”

“You sound sad.” Arsene mumbled as he pulled away, looking into his eyes.

Robin sighed gently, looking elsewhere.

“Robin… what's wrong?”

“It's not the same for the rest of you, since you aren't from this world. When matters weigh heavy on Crow, they tend to weigh heavy on me. I try to relieve some of it, but it can be difficult.”

Arsene looks over to his other self, who shortly after breaks away from Crow, walking towards the Bookkeeper. Crow is coming towards them, looking almost bored. Arsene takes a step back as he comes close, staring down at him. He can feel the wash of conflicting emotions from Joker, but it was hard to say what each one was.

_“Give me five minutes, I'll be right back.”_ Joker said.

“I'm fine now.” Crow mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You don't sound fine.” Arsene challenged, leaning over him.

Crow snapped his head up and glared at him.

“Who asked you?” Crow growled.

Robin Hood quickly shimmied in between them, pushing them apart. Arsene cocked his head, hearing Crow mutter something under his breath.

“What was that?”

“I said you're nosy.”

“Don't fight...” Robin pleaded.

“I'm concerned about you because you're Joker's friend, and he obviously cares about you. So sorry for worrying about you, I guess.”

“Arsene-”

“Like you were worried about Loki?”

“Goro, d-”

“You tried to murder Joker, so don't act like you're any better!”

“Just leave me alone!”

Robin held onto the back of his collar as he tried to walk away and gripped Arsene's shoulder tight, holding him at arm's length. Crow sighed, relaxing his body until he was almost limp.

“Both of you, stop it. We need peace among us and the two of you fighting is the opposite of what we need. Arsene, step away and calm down. Now.”

The dark look on Robin's face was enough to halt any protest from Arsene. He let go, Arsene gliding off a fair distance away. Arsene watched as Robin Hood gently turned Crow around, kneeling down. Crow buried his face into his chest, Robin hugging him. Arsene preened his feathers, releasing his anger with every brush of his fingers. Arsene glanced back over, seeing Crow hang his head as he pulled away. Robin Hood was soothing him, the two seeming to have finished talking. Arsene started making his way back over.

“-better, Robin, I'm okay, thanks.” Crow muttered, fiddling with his mask in his hand.

Robin looked up and gave him a short nod in acknowledgment before returning to rubbing Crow's back. Crow hid his face from him, silent.

“I'm sorry, Crow. I shouldn't have snapped at you.”

“It's fine. Do whatever you want, really.”

Arsene exchanged a look with Robin.

“Is there any way I could make it up to you?”

Crow looked up, and Arsene could tell he had been crying a moment before.

“Uh…”

Crow reached out to one of his wings, barely brushing his fingertips over the feathers.

“Do you want one?”

Crow nodded slowly, watching as Arsene plucked one of his bigger feathers off and held it out to him. He gently took it, turning it around in his hand. He ran a finger up and down the feather, humming softly.

“I can see why Loki kept the one you gave him.” He murmured.

Arsene swallowed, pulling his wings in tight. Robin nudged Crow, pulling him away from the feather.

“O-oh, right… thank you.”

He gave him a sheepish smile before turning away quickly. He slid the feather into his pocket, walking over to the rest of his group. Robin Hood stood up, brushing himself off.

“Thank you, Arsene. I should go to him, just to make sure it truly passed.”

“Hey, you… you're in love with the other me, aren't you?”

Robin's eyes widen, before he crosses his arms over his chest.

“Yes. You do have your charms, but-”

“I can't compare.”

“In a way…”

“Oh. I… see…”

“I don't mean to be cruel like that, but…” Robin looked embarrassed and concerned. “Sorry.”

“What were the two of you like to each other, then?”

“We did not trust each other at first. But I fell first, and I started flirting with him. He started flirting back, but I could never really tell if he was joking or serious. And one day, when our masters were having a long and heated discussion, he had pulled me aside, and, well, he kissed the back of my hand, and that's when I knew he was serious. We didn't tell them, because I knew the course Crow was heading down, and it seemed that he also had a feeling we weren't going to… last.”

Robin sighed, shaking his head.

“It was nice that we could steal some moments together, however brief.” He turns to Arsene, seeing his face and clearing his throat apologetically. “Ahem, sorry, lost in memories.”

“Don't worry about it.”

Arsene watched him go, feeling a bit jealous of his other self.

_So he was the better version of me… and you're in love with that._

Joker reemerged beside the Bookkeeper, hands in his pockets, looking determined.

“Let's go.”

~~~~~~~~

Akechi felt better, after crying. He hated that it was pretty much in public, but Akira didn't see him do it, so he'll let it go for now. He felt disgusted, none of this bothered him before. None of his darker thoughts had pushed him over the edge like this to make him cry in public, and the worst was that Arsene saw him. But, it may have been the fact his voice spoke those similar thoughts out loud, in front of everyone. And that Akira had accused him of being suicidal.

_We shouldn’t be friends? Why did I say that? I want to be friends with him. I want to be more than friends with him, but after all I’ve done, I’m content with just being friends. Ah… just like Loki..._

Akechi just simply followed the rest of them when Akira was done with whatever he was doing in the Velvet Room. He would just have to keep his head down and just take orders, though he won't be very happy about it. But he also didn't want to cry in front of the Thieves, that would be deathly embarrassing. He shoved his hand into his pocket, running his thumb over the feather again, soothed a bit.

Up ahead on a flat circular area, they saw Hunger just finish dealing with a large angel like creature, the shadow melting into the ground. Hunger turned at their approach, hearing them coming.

“You idiots never learn, do you?” He hissed, tensing up, sword in hand.

Everyone glanced at each other as they took up their positions, jumping into action to get this fight rolling.

“Alright everyone, be careful, he's a strong one.” Oracle warned as she stayed back and monitored them.

 

Hunger was really gunning for him and Robin Hood, but everyone was doing their hardest to get his attention away from them. Arsene would also get a fair amount of attacks from him, seeing as Arsene was antagonizing him the most. It seemed Hunger was getting tired though, was slowing down a little, so they had hope. Plus, Akira had new personas, which confused him enough to almost avoid picking a fight with Akira directly. Hunger had dropped the sword and went to claw Zorro, but his hand suddenly jerked backwards and threw him off balance enough to stumble backwards.

“No! I won't let you-” A new voice started before getting cut off with a growl.

“Loki?”

Hunger was wobbling, clutching his head, furious.

“You lost! Why _won't_ you _stay_ down you piece of-”

“Now's our chance!” Oracle yelled.

They jump on him, getting in a free attack before Hunger regains control.

“You little bastards.” He snarled, hopping backwards.

Hunger lunged forward, clawing Goemon. They started fighting again, every so often Loki or Akechi would stop him from moving so they could hit him without him retaliating. It was working in their favor, Akechi just had to keep it up.

~~~~~~~~

Hunger’s body was getting tired. He was hoping the big angel would have a heart but no such luck. The small creatures he did eat didn't do much like the first one. And his enemies would not let him rest for a moment, especially since Loki kept preventing him from finishing any of them off. And the small creature with the white mask had all new allies to fight with. He slides backwards with the force of a combined attack, grunting, the sword sliding away from him. He got a brief moment of joy from the choking sounds Loki made as he greatly restricted him to prevent him from interfering any more.

“Enough! You wanna play?” He snarled, sliding the visor over his eyes and making an x shaped slashing motion over his chest. “I’m going to tear all of you apart limb by limb!”

The white and stripe clad creature looked to be scared as the black fire washed over him. Hunger leapt for Robin Hood's throat, aiming to kill him before he could recover from the initial shock. Arsene took the blow for him, but it didn't matter as he was sent full force into Robin Hood anyway, knocking them both to the ground several feet away.

“Loki, stop!” The striped one commanded. “I order you to-”

Hunger snarled and clawed his face, making him yelp.

“Not this time you little bastard!”

The others quickly responded, closing in on him. But he's going to kill them. He'll kill them all.

~~~~~~~~

Everyone is struggling to stay on their feet, beginning to seriously wear out. They were giving it all they had, but it didn't seem to do anything. Arsene is stubbornly flying around Hunger, clawing at him when he got close enough, making Hunger focus on him. Arsene swung back around and dove at Hunger, glancing back at everyone, not noticing Hunger had grabbed the sword and was waiting for him.

“C'mon, don't lose focus now, we can do-”

“Arsene look out!”

But Morgana's warning came a second too late, Arsene unable to adjust his course in time, Hunger throwing the sword and spearing Arsene right through the chest and into a protruding bone pillar behind him. Akira clutches his chest, falling to his knees. He stabs at Hunger as he goes by, earning a swift kick and a stomp, his ribs audibly cracking. The others try to quickly close in and grab Arsene, but a heavy almighty attack sends them backwards.

"Oh, what a shame, Trickster. I was just starting to have fun, too." Hunger taunts as he shoves his hand into his chest, ripping out his heart.

Akira screams as he feels the heart being forcibly stolen from his true self. They all watch in horror as Hunger eats the heart.

"Oh, wow, what power!" He laughs maniacally, turning to all of them. "No more Trickster! No more savior! Hahhahaha!"

Akechi pulls Akira's body behind the rubble he and Ann were taking cover behind.

"He's cold." He whispered, watching Ann try to heal him in vain.

He cradles his body for a moment, taking a deep breath. Mona and Zorro run over, trying to raise him again. No luck.

“This is bad, we can’t get him back up!” Mona starts panicking.

_Robin Hood, I'm sorry. We failed. This is unwinnable, now. I know what I have to do._

_“Please don't do this! He'll-!”_

_I know. There's no other way._

_I... I understand. Goodbye, my little prince._

Akechi presses his lips to Akira's unmoving ones.

"Robin Hood, I release you from my service. Take care of him for me. Keep hope alive for everyone else." He whispers, his voice barely more than an exhale.

He places the body down and gets up, walking towards Loki. Akira coughs and gasps in Ann's arms.

"Joker, are you okay??"

He starts shaking as his outfit switches into his black one, getting worse and worse as he got closer. He hears Akira groan deeply behind him, sounding unresponsive.

"Crow, what are you doing?!" Futaba yells behind him.

Akechi says nothing as he stares up at Hunger. He kneels down, head bowed, looking like he was going to be knighted.

"Oh? You want a second chance?"

"You already have my heart. It doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore, so just take me too."

Hunger grins, crouching down and gripping his shoulder. They watch the hole in his heart disappear, becoming grey and gold striping like a patch in his costume. He stands up, Hunger smiling as he turns to face the group.

“You… You bastard.” Ryuji growled, almost in disbelief.

"I'm sorry."

Hunger stands up, smirking. Akechi's shaking violently as Hunger twitches his fingers, raising Akechi's hand towards them, mimicking his own movements.

"Just run."

Akechi suddenly spins back around and full on tackles Hunger, making him lose his balance and yelp in surprise as they both fall over the edge.

" _NO!_ " He hears Futaba scream as he plunges off the edge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sojiro, Sae and Mishima are talking softly, trying to keep their minds on the craziness going on outside. Talking about anything and everything, Mishima’s mug of hot chocolate shaking along with his hands, nervous.

“Do… will they be alright?” Mishima asked.

“I’m sure they will be, with how long they’ve all been working together. Plus, you’ve seen those creatures with them. They seem pretty magical.”

No one at that table was really convinced, based on the way they were all talking earlier. They hear something outside, like yelling. Sojiro immediately gets up and goes towards the door, the other two looking at each before tensing up. Sojiro reaches for the handle, but Ryuji bursts in, holding a pale, unresponsive Akira, panicked. The rest of them are behind him, all of them out of breath.

“Ryuji?! What happened to Akira?!”

“Is Takemi around?? It sounded like he cracked his ribs.” Futaba asked.

“Uh, I don’t know? The phone isn’t working, you’d have to go to her clinic. Here, I’ll put him to bed.”

Sojiro carefully takes Akira’s limp body from Ryuji as Futaba and Morgana run back outside. The steps creak, each one increasing his worry as he takes in Akira’s body. It looks like someone cut a hole in his chest and then hastily patched up up, making him nauseous just thinking about it. He gently lays Akira down on the bed, hearing everyone else rush up the stairs after him. Sojiro steps back as they all crowd around him, worry all over their faces and muttering with themselves.

“I’m sure Takemi will be able to help when she gets here.” He says, trying to soothe them.

He’s not sure he really wants to know what happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They tried so hard and got so far. But uh... fun times?


	8. New Body, New Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan fails. The truth comes out. A plan is made.

Akechi kicks off of Hunger, getting a fair distance away from him while Hunger is scrambling to put together what just happened, the ground rapidly approaching. He breathes in, closing his eyes.

_ With any luck, I won’t feel a thing, and Hunger would be gone too. _

He braces himself for impact, waiting on death's embrace, when he suddenly feels something close around his chest and stomach. He grunts as Hunger squeezes and pulls him into his chest, squirming to get out before it's too late. Hunger lets out a hiss as he hits the ground, the asphalt cracking on impact, his hand releasing Akechi, who fell off his chest and onto the ground. Akechi started half getting up and half crawling away, stopped when Hunger grabs his leg and snarls.

“You  _ stay _ where you are, you little  _ shit _ .” 

Akechi struggled, trying to pull his hand off of him while Hunger laid where he was. He felt himself being dragged backwards as Hunger sits up, hissing in pain. Hunger moved, rolling him over and bringing his other hand down on his throat, getting right in his face.

“Admittedly I didn't see that coming, you little brat. I should kill you for it.” 

Akechi claws at his hand, his air being cut off. Hunger gives him a once over. Akechi gives up, letting his hand fall to the side as Hunger presses a little harder. 

“Oh, ah. I see. That's what you want, isn't it?”

Hunger lets up a little, Akechi gasping. 

“Fuck you.”

“Oh, you have a mouth as well. No matter. I'll be sure to treat my new playthings-” Hunger stops himself, eyes narrowing. “Where. Is he?” 

“Who?”

“Don't play dumb with me,  _ boy. _ Where is he?” 

“I don't know who you're talking about.”

Hunger growls and starts choking him again.

“Liar!  _ Where? Is? He? _ ” 

Akechi starts kicking at his arm before Hunger pulls him up and throws him back into the ground. 

“Ohoho. Trying to rile me up? Bastard.”

Akechi starts getting up, keeping an eye on whether Hunger will react. Hunger grabs his arm and yanks him up before letting him go so he stumbles. He notices that his suit is becoming more of a deep gray with gold striping, taking over his black and blue. His eyes widen in surprise. He reaches up to his neck as he feels something new, feeling another belt. He starts to panic, trying to pull it off.

“Oh no. No no no no.”

“Oh, I wouldn't fret. The color looks good on you.”

“Loki, I order you to-!”

He gets backhanded across the face, the force sending him sprawling onto the asphalt.

“You aren't in control here anymore!” Hunger hissed, turning around to get his bearings.

He pushes himself up to a sitting position, trembling. Akechi felt tears welling up on pure shock alone, a flood of horrible memories coming back to him as he gingerly touches his face. He makes a choked noise, trying to will himself not to start crying again. 

“What? Are you going to cry? Tch, baby. I didn't even hit you that hard.”

_ “Hey. Are you okay? Don't listen to it, okay? I’m right here. You’re not alone.” _

Akechi could mentally feel Loki trying to curl himself protectively around him as he continued to soothe him quietly.

_ Loki, don't put yourself more in harm's way for me. _

_ “I'm going to. You don't deserve this.” _

Akechi pushed himself to his feet carefully. He glanced at Hunger, starting to walk slowly away from him. He gets yanked back by his collar and right in front of him. He's turned so he's face to face with Hunger as he crouches down.

“Together, we can rule this world. Isn't that a nice thought?" He murmurs, tilting Akechi's face up towards him. "You'll do good by me, won't you?"

“Over my dead body.” Akechi spat.

Hunger snorts, grip becoming tight on his shoulder, making him grimace.

“Come along now.” Hunger ordered, dragging him along.

~~~~~~~~~

“Yeah, kid's got some cracked ribs alright.” Takemi mutters, writing down some things on her clipboard. “Rest will do him good. I can still hear his heart beat, he's just unconscious. Not sure when he'll wake up, but he shouldn't move too much for a little while.”

“Thank you. How much do I owe you?” Sojiro asked.

Takemi waves the question.

“Don't worry about it. My little guinea pig here has done a lot for me. I'm simply repaying the favor.”

“Would you like coffee, at least?”

“I'll take you up on that offer.”

They watch Takemi and Sojiro go downstairs, Sae following them after a moment or two. Everyone else stared at each other, worried.

“Now what?” Makoto asked.

“Knew we shouldn't have trusted that fucker.” Ryuji growls, leaned back in the chair at the foot of the bed.

“Well, with any luck, that fall might've killed Hunger.” Zorro suggests half-heartedly.

“It doesn't seem like we have any lately.” Yusuke says dryly.

Everyone started discussing quietly as Robin Hood silently observed with deep concern in his eyes. He was across from Akira, not wanting to upset him right away when he wakes up. They all stop and turn as they hear coughing, seeing Akira stir.

"Wha... where..." 

"Oh, thank god you're okay!" Ann hugged him tight, making him cough harder. 

"What the fuck, everything hurts, I... I died... what..." He looks around and freezes, seeing Robin Hood.

He glances at the rest of the group, scanning their faces. Someone was missing. 

"Robin Hood... where... how?" 

"He bought you time, and gave you me in Arsene's place." 

"He’s... he and Hunger are one." Makoto says quietly.

“So that motherfucker betrayed us again." 

"My little thief, that's not..." Robin Hood holds out a hand but hesitates when his glare is turned on him.

Akira starts sitting up with Ann's help, wincing, when he pauses mid way. He feels the warmth Robin Hood had for him, how loved he suddenly felt, as if it was from another. He started laughed hysterically, falling back onto the bed.

"Akira?" Ryuji asked.

“Are- are you  _ fucking  _ kidding me?!” He yelled at Robin Hood.

“Akira-”

“He had a  _ crush _ on me?! Are you  _ fucking kidding  _ me?!  _ Robin,  _ what the hell?!” He continues, throwing his pillow at him.

“It was not my place to tell you the matters of his heart.” He answers solemnly.

Akira throws his knife at him too after he finds a lack of other, softer ammo to toss at him. Robin catches the knife blade first, not even flinching at his outburst. Ryuji quickly jumps on the bed and hooks his arms around his shoulders, Akira growling at being suddenly restrained. 

“Holy shit, calm down dude.”

He could feel Robin internally debating whether or not to come to his side, knowing he was the cause of Akira's distress. His other personas starting screaming at Robin for his former master being a traitor. Akira falls back into Ryuji's chest, hurting too much to continue struggling, huffing in annoyance. Robin picks up the pillow from where it landed, tiptoeing his way over to replace it on the bed. He holds the dagger out yo him, handle first, Akira noticing the small cuts on his palm. Ryuji lets go, Akira slowly taking the dagger back. Robin goes back to where he was, glancing towards the stairs. A small spike of guilt hit him as he realized how withdrawn Robin was.

“I know I'm not wanted. I will leave you alone if you so wish, my little thief.”

“Leave.” Akira choked out, feeling the tears start.

Robin gives him a short bow and goes downstairs without another word, Akira shoving his face into his hands. Ryuji starts rubbing circles on his back, trying to soothe him. Everyone else shifted uncomfortably, the room tense. He could hear half the conversation Robin was having with Sojiro, Sae and Takemi, still somehow not even upset with his actions. He starts coughing again, his chest aching.

“Hey, you should lie back down.” Haru murmured gently.

“Do you need to be alone for a little while?” Ann asked.

“Please.”

They all quietly go downstairs, Ryuji giving his back one last pat before leaving. Haru watched him until he laid back down, satisfied he wasn't going to push himself too hard too soon. Akira threw his mask onto the ground, letting himself cry. He could hear Ryuji confronting Robin aggressively, Robin not taking the bait.

“It wasn't my choice.”  Was the only thing he heard Robin rumble loudly from downstairs before it was swallowed by everyone else.

Akira cried himself to sleep, too exhausted for anything else.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunger roughly pushed him aside, trying to figure out where they ended up. Akechi caught his reflection in the window, frowning at the new colors of his outfit and the collar. He waited until Hunger moved forward a bit to sneak away, turning around a corner. He pulled his gun out, checking its ammo, before putting it up against his chin. He closed his eyes, starting to squeeze the trigger. His hand was yanked away, Hunger glaring at him.

“Have to keep a close eye on you, huh?” 

Hunger twists his arm until he drops the gun, kicking it away. Akechi says nothing as Hunger wraps his hand around his midsection and picks him up. 

“What, no smart remark? Given up already?”

Akechi’s resentment and regret was growing by the second, sighing as he feels Loki hug him tighter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akira stared at the dusty ceiling of the attic, still feeling his face was wet. He didn't bother to wipe his tears away, sighing. He sat up again, wincing as he pushes his back against the wall. He could hear that they were all still downstairs talking.

_ Robin, can you come back upstairs? _

Quiet footsteps made their way up the steps, Robin Hood pausing at the top. He noticed how dull and worn he looked now, compared to their first meeting in Sae’s palace. Akira silently patted the spot next to him. Robin made his way over, sitting down on the bed, mirroring him by also pushing his back against the wall. Nothing was said between them as Akira moved to sit in his lap, laying his cheek against his chest. He felt Robin stiffen up unsure what was wanted. Akira grabs his hand and places it on top of his head, encouraging him. Robin seemed to relax a little, brushing his hair with his fingers. Akira sounds like he's going to hack up a lung as he goes into a coughing fit, clutching the patch over his heart. Robin pauses, concerned.

"Why is it so weird... why do I feel this way?" 

"Because I'm not Arsene. But you're alive, and that's more important.”

Akira wheezes a little after the fit passes, just trying to take in their new bond. Akira mentally pushed a little further, trying to suss out Robin's true emotional state. It felt wound up, tight like it could snap under the stress at any moment. And he could feel his outburst had added to that.

“I'm sorry about earlier.”

“My only worry is your wellbeing.”

“My god… how are you Akechi's, again?”

Robin didn't answer. Akira felt the knife in his gut twist, feeling the bleed from Robin's own thoughts.

“You're used to that sort of treatment, huh? I… I'm so sorry.”

“Don't worry about me, my thief. I'm sorry I couldn't do more.”

Akira felt him open himself up a little more, hesitant. Guilt. Worry. Almost like he was-

_ Oh. _

“Oh my god… You're depressed.” Akira blurted out.

“...What?”

“You're like, running off of so much stress, my god. You're so nervous all the time.”

“I-”

“You… you never stood a chance of changing his heart, did you?”

Robin Hood had a brief flash of panic.

“I tried.” He admitted. “I couldn't stop him…”

“Robin-”

“I'm so sorry, I couldn't-”

“How long have you lived like this?”

Robin Hood said nothing, not trying to hide from their connection but not reaching out more either. 

“I did everything I could.” He mumbled.

Akira patted his chest with his other hand, trying to let him know he was here for him.

“I wasn't enough.”

“How could he?” Akira hissed. “How could he do that to you?”

“I rather he lashed out at me than at any of you.”

“Why aren’t you mad at him?”

“I could see the good in him. I had hope, especially when he was with you.”

He holds his breath a little as he thinks about it for a little while. He could feel a little resentment in Robin, but not towards Akechi. It was towards Shido and anyone else that pushed Akechi that far. Akira closes his eyes and exhales slowly, sitting up a little. Robin steadies him by lightly placing his free hand on his lower back. Akira shifts even more, trying to get to as close to his face as he could.

“Don't push yourself.” Robin murmurs quietly, worried.

Akira presses his lips right where the seam of his face is, wrapping his arms around his neck. Robin blinks, moving his hands to support him better. Akira starts peppering his face with kisses, humming apologetically.

“Akira…” He started.

Akira pulls away at the reluctant warning, wincing as he started to sink back down into his lap. 

“There. All the love you should've gotten.”

Robin chuckles softly, ruffling up his hair.

“Come. We should get your friends back up here so we can discuss things.”

Akira tightens his grip on his arm, not wanting to move. He relents once Robin gives him a stern look, climbing out of his lap. He lays back down, letting out a hiss of pain.

“Ah, should I ask one of the others to try to heal you?”

Akira gave a noncommittal grunt, hearing Robin go back downstairs. He came back up with everyone, standing off to the side. He looked a bit brighter at least.

“How are you feeling?” Haru asked.

“Okay.”

Morgana picks his mask up off the floor, climbing up onto the bed. He hands it over, Akira putting it back on. Morgana takes the time to check him over, putting a healing spell into him. Akira felt he could breathe a little easier. Morgana sits down on the edge as Akira sits up again, feeling a flash of worry from Robin Hood. Sojiro, Sae, and Mishima were near the railing, watching all of them.

“Alright, so. Any ideas?” Akira asked.

“Not really. He's most likely much stronger now, though.” Futaba said, leaning back into the couch.

Everyone started quietly talking among each other. Most of it was debate over whether or not Hunger could have survived that fall. Akira could feel Robin wanted to say something, but was afraid. 

“What's up, Robin?”

“Well…” Robin Hood started, then stopped.

He crossed his arms, being unusually fidgety, before beginning again. 

“Now that Goro's bond with Loki has been restored, if worse comes to worse, you could just kill Goro directly. It-”

“How could you even suggest such a thing?!” Haru snarled at him.

He felt Robin immediately retreat inside himself again as everyone started yelling at him. Akira winced as his personas joined in, feeling Robin shut down.

“Everyone shut up!” Akira snapped. He took a deep breath once all eyes were on him, gesturing Robin to continue.

“...It would get rid of Loki's body, meaning Hunger would be gone too.” Robin Hood finished weakly, looking ashamed.

“What the hell, Robin Hood?” Ryuji hissed.

“I never said it was desirable…” He mumbled, backing into the wall, tense.

_ Don't mind them.  _ Akira starting trying to soothe him, to coax him out of his shell.

“Wait, wouldn't that just kill you too?” Futaba asked.

“Usually, but…” Robin seemed to be waiting for them to jump down his throat before he continued. “He… I'm Akira's now. He severed our connection.”

As everyone talked it over, Robin exhaled slowly, shifting under their stares.

“Look, I don't want to hurt him, but this is getting dire. I'm afraid we might not have a lot of options left.”

Akira had a sudden realization.

“He wasn't trying to kill Hunger, was he?”

Robin couldn’t look him in the eye. Akira pressed a hand to his face, struggling not to cry again.

“What the ‘ell.” Kidd muttered.

It became quiet for a moment.

“Wait, we can do our original plan still.” Morgana says, perking up. “We can destroy the Metaverse!”

“And what would that do?” Johanna asked.

“Given that in this world, you are all part of our cognitive world, getting rid of the Metaverse would mean getting rid of Hunger too. And, well, all of you too. And me.”

The personas looked at each other, unsure.

“We can certainly try. I think it might be too late for us to go back to our own world.” Zorro said. 

“Wouldn't that kill Akira and Akechi too? I mean, their cognitive selves aren't quite the same anymore.” Futaba asked.

“...I don't know. Lavenza and Igor might.”

“Okay, so we go back to the prison a third time. We beat the Grail this time. And then we steal its treasure, and hopefully Akechi and I will be okay?” Akira clarified.

“Yes, that's the idea. Unless you have something else in mind.”

“I think that's our best plan right now.”

Akira started getting up, whining a little in pain. Robin checked on him, offering a hand.

“Are you sure you're good to go, Akira?” Haru asked.

“I think I’ll be okay. Let's go before Hunger figures it out and eats the Grail's heart too.”

Akira was shaking a little, but he still led the way out of the cafe.

~~~~~~~~~

Akechi had been put down on the ground a little while ago. Hunger wasn't paying too much attention to him at the moment, having gotten lost once again and just deciding to eat a few more people. The sounds that came from that action made Akechi want to puke. After a few moments of deliberation, he took his sword and slashed the back of his leg, making him hiss in pain. Hunger whipped around, furious.

“Look you little brat. I  _ own _ you. You  _ listen _ to me and you better listen  _ well. _ ” Hunger snarled, slamming him up against a building.

“Or what? You'll kill me?” He shot back.

He snarled again, digging his claws into him. Loki shoved his mental self aside, yelping in pain.

“Ooh, of course you would protect the little snot.” Hunger spat at him, eye twitching.

_ Loki are you okay? _

_ “Leave him alone, beast!” _

He could feel Loki yanked back and choking. Hunger rolled his eyes, picking him up again and moving.

“You live here, so tell me where to go.”

“Where do you want to go?”

“You know where.” He hissed, giving him a squeeze.

Akechi grunted, gritting his teeth.

“I don’t.”

He grunted again as the claws dug in, making him bleed a little more. Loki was forgotten, catching his breath.

“You little shit.  _ Tell me _ . Now.”

Loki repositioned himself over him again, waiting for the mental retaliation.

“I really don't know how to get there since the world has changed so much.” 

“ _ Liar _ . Tch, whatever, fine. I'll do it myself, bastard.”

_ Loki, please be careful.  _ Akechi whispered.

_ “Same to you.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robin is trying very hard.


	9. Back Through The City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom Thieves go back to Shibuya Square. Akechi tries to help Loki the best he can while they're both under Hunger's watch.

“Looks like the trains stopped working.” Futaba said.

Akira and Ryuji pulled open the doors on the other side of the train, a path opening up before them.

“Looks like we might not need one. Let's see where this goes.” Akira moved forward as he spoke.

The path wound and twisted, abandoned train cars and veins everywhere, everyone having to occasionally climb over halves of destroyed train cars piled up enough to block their way through. Akira felt the roof scrape across his back, wincing a bit. He felt Robin Hood was worried about him, but was relieved it was a simple bloodless scratch. Robin worried a lot, he realized. But given whose persona he used to be, Akira couldn’t find it all that surprising. He landed on the ground, clutching at his chest for a moment as it started aching.

_“Are you okay?”_

“Fine, just hurts.” Akira muttered, patting his heart.

_“Be careful.”_

_I am. Stop worrying so much._

Robin didn’t say anything after that, analyzing what he said. The path twisted up and to the right, eventually leading them to stairs that went up. Akira started to go up them, relieved it was Shibuya Square. He heard everyone else come up behind him, releasing Robin Hood.

“Alright, so, we head towards… what? Doesn’t seem like we have an entrance to the prison up here.” Ryuji said.

“We weren’t looking for it last time, we just needed to get out of there.”

“That structure would a good place as any to start looking. It’s pretty high up, it would let us see if Hunger is coming too.” Johanna suggested.

“Hey, Robin, is it possible for you to sense if Crow is still alive?” Akira asked.

Robin shook his head.

“I can’t sense him at all. Like I’ve said before, we’ve been severed.”

“Now we’re really blind to what he’s doing.” Makoto muttered.

“Sorry.” Robin apologized.

_It's not your fault._

“Let's just get going.”

It should've just been another regular fight with some shadows. Akira dodged one attack, and then stumbled, one of them jumping on the opening that he gave it. He immediately retaliated with Robin Hood, but then grunted in pain and tilted forward, clutching his chest right after. He heard Robin quietly groan behind him. Everyone else managed to defeat the shadows, looking back worriedly at him.

“Joker, are you okay?” Futaba asked.

“What's wrong with me? This shouldn't be happening.” He growled. “I should be good at this stuff.”

“Hey, maybe you sh- where are you going?!”

Akira ignored Ryuji, running up ahead. He could hear the others trying to catch up with him, but he didn't care. He had to figure out why this was happening to him.

_“Akira, stop! Come back!”_

He ignored Robin and kept going, losing his friends in the twist and turns of the distorted city.

~~~~~~~~~~

After his wave of anger receded, Akechi could feel Loki was absolutely devastated. He was slowly falling into hopeless despair with every passing moment, despite Akechi's attempts to soothe him. He is filled with rage again, lashing out at Hunger and slicing across his leg.

“I've had enough of this.” Hunger snarled at him, digging his claws into his back as he grabbed his torso.

Akechi nearly dropped his sword as he was squeezed, grunting.

“You gave yourself up to me, remember? I know what you’re trying to pull. Your silly toys aren't going to do much and you aren't done living until I say you are.”

“Fuck you.”

“How creative.”

Hunger rolled his eyes and kept walking, making his way towards one of the large spines. He hissed as he felt Akechi bite his finger, stopping and shoving his face right into Akechi's.

“Haha. Very funny.”

Loki cried out, Akechi gasping as he felt phantom claws rake across his back.

“You can't protect him forever, Chosen.” Hunger spat.

_Loki are you okay?!_

He mentally hears a groan in response.

_Hey, hey I'm right here. I'm not leaving your side. Stay with me._

“How cute. I really do have a pair of disgusting brats on my hands.” Hunger muttered. “Your little friends aren’t going to save you anyway.”

_“He's right.”_

_No he isn't, Loki. They're good people. They won't give up on you. Not by a long shot. Just rest for a little bit. I'll protect you._

_“Crow-”_

_Loki. Rest._

Akechi could feel Loki shift, sliding himself behind his own mental self as much as he was allowed, sighing. It was strange, having to protect his persona who has been protecting him for so long, but he knew Loki needed a break. He couldn’t do this forever. He already sounded weak. He glared up at Hunger, rage sweeping through him again, but this time he would force himself to be patient. For Loki’s sake.

~~~~~~~~~~

Akira had lost count of how many times he had thrown himself into fights with shadows patrolling the streets. Each mask he summoned brought new aches in his chest, every spell he fired off another stab of fresh pain. He could vaguely feel himself bleeding somewhere as he lifted his hand to summon Seth again. The creatures in front of him were weak to fire, if he remembered correctly. The force of the fire spell sent him reeling backwards, coughing. He could see more shadows up ahead, preparing himself to throw himself at them. A firm hand stopped him, making him angry.

"My little thief, you are pushing yourself too hard. Please, take a rest." Robin Hood scolds gently, wrapping an arm around him. “You're bleeding badly.”

"Robin, let me go!" He snarls, struggling in his grip.

Robin simply tightens his grip in response. He could feel Robin's anxiousness at his current state, finally hearing how ragged his breathing was, how much pain he was in overall.

"My little thief, please. You're leaving your friends behind, you need them."

Akira falls limp, letting out a half choked sob. Robin pulls him closer, trying to be as comforting as possible.

"Why did it have to be this way? Where did we go wrong?"

Robin Hood gently cradles him against his chest with one arm.

"My little thief, you must be brave, we must carry on."

"I don't think... I don't think I can."

"The odds are against us. But that has never stopped you before, has it?"

Akira wipes the tears away, pressing into Robin Hood.

"Let's go see one of your friends for that cut on your head, okay?"

"Okay.”

Robin slowly carries him back to a group of buildings, going down the alleyway. He ducks under a bone, his friends lighting up as they saw him. They all started crowding around Robin.

“Akira! You had us worried.” Makoto scolded.

"Neither of you are looking too hot." Morgana says as Robin puts him down.

"Akira, rest. Please." Robin murmured, ignoring Mona's comment as he steadies him.

Akira could feel Robin shaking a little himself. Akira plops himself onto the ground with a grunt, giving Morgana minimal complaints as he prods him a little. Robin was still curled protectively around him, moving to give Morgana space.

“How could you let him run off like that?” Ryuji snapped at Robin.

“Stop.” Akira said, but he was talked over as he friends started to agree and question Robin Hood aggressively.

He felt Robin Hood shut down again as the questions got harsher, Akira gently reaching out to him. He could feel a whirlwind of emotions from Robin, rapidly cycling from anger to anxious to self-loathing and back again, all of them bleeding together.

“Why didn't you stop Crow, huh? Since you're supposed to be so good and all.”

“Yeah, what's up with that?” Ann added onto Ryuji, glaring at Robin.

“What have I done to deserve your anger?” Robin Hood's voice cracked, making them stop. “What have I done to any of you?”

Akira winced as all his personas started talking at once, screaming traitor at Robin.

“You had a choice!” Ryuji snapped at him.

“No I didn't! And if I did, do you think I would let your friend die? I want to be with Goro now but I can’t. I would be just as trapped as Loki is and Akira would be dead!” He snapped back.

They all stared at him.

“How can I change someone who doesn't want to listen? Do… do you even care about Akira like you say you do? You were all willing to let him die on the slim chance we wouldn't notice we entered the Metaverse? Tch, forget it. It doesn’t matter what I say to you, does it? ...I know I’m a failure, you don’t need to constantly remind me.”

Robin Hood gets up and leaves hurriedly. Milady slips out after him, excusing herself. Akira felt him have a huge influx of guilt and immediate regret as soon as he left their sight. And then both of those plummeted him straight into terrified.

_“I spoke out of turn I'm sorry I'm sorry don't hurt me I'm sorry!”_  Robin spoke repeatedly, panicking.

Akira covers his ears, laying down on the ground. His personas were still too loud, and Robin's state was not helping it.

_Stop shut up stop shut up shut up stop shut up._

“What’s with him?”

Akira groaned, rolling onto his side. Robin stopped immediately, but the others kept going and wouldn't listen.

“Joker?”

“Everything is way too fucking loud.”

They waited, the personas finally tapering down to a whisper. Akira sat up, crossing his legs, grabbing his ankles.

“Mona, can personas get sick? Warped?” Akira asked, subdued.

“I don't know. Is something wrong?”

“He's like, regularly depressed? I don't know how long he's been like that, he either won't tell me or he just can't.”

“What's happening with him right now?”

Akira glances in his general direction.

“He's terrified that me or my other personas are going to hurt him right now for snapping at you guys.”

“But you won't hurt him.”

“I don’t know how to help him. I’m trying, he’s trying, and all of you harassing him is not helping anything. It- ngh!” Akira clutches his chest, giving a short cough. “It hurts too much, it’s hurting him too. I don’t know how to fix it.”

“Well, it’s just a new contract between you and him, right? You do it with shadows all the time.”

“I… Actually, come to think of it, I don’t think we did. But he’s with me, so, we must’ve, right?”

“I doubt a dead person can make a contract.”

Akira waited until he could hear Robin and Milady were done talking to reach out to him.

_Robin, did we make a contract?_

_“What do you mean?”_

_With each other, like what you and Akechi had?_

_“No.”_

_Then what happened?_

_“One minute.”_

_Robin tell me._

_“Where’s that door?”_

“Door…?” He muttered out loud to everyone else’s confusion.

_What door?_

_“From before. We need to see them.”_

_Robin Hood explain._

Robin went quiet. Akira winces as he starts to get up, pushing away his friends’ hands as they try to help him up. He moved to the entrance of the alleyway and leaned against it, seeing Milady and Robin were on their way back. He glances over to where he was, straightening up. He rushed over to him, grabbing his shoulder as Akira stumbled forward again, steadying him.

“You need rest, Akira.” He said gently.

“What door? Who?”

“Lavenza and Igor.”

“Tell me what happened first.”

“Aki-”

“Now.”

Robin crosses his arms over his chest, pensive.

“I don't know how to explain this.”

“Try.”

“Goro made an exchange when he kissed you. His half of a heart for your life. I’m supposed to protect you. That was his last orders to me. Except… I don’t know how we haven’t been quite torn apart yet, we both don’t fit each other.”

Akira was slightly miffed that Akechi kissed him when he was dead instead of when they were talking earlier.

“And you think Lavenza and Igor could fix this?”

“They would know better than I would.” Robin drops his head, almost ashamed. “I have a feeling this will only get worse the more we go on like this.”

Akira looked around as everyone gathered around them. He looked back at Robin, slouched and looking tired.

“It’s worth a try. We need to get up high somewhere anyway.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunger lets out a yawn, stopping in his tracks.

Akechi watches him get confused.

“What was that?”

“A yawn? It means you’re getting tired.”

“I don’t tire out.”

“New body.”

“How do I fix this, then?”

“Sleeping.”

“You're lying to me.”

Akechi sighed, deciding to drop it. He checked on Loki, trying to distract himself from what Hunger was doing.

_“I felt him die… I… We just wanted to protect him… this is my fault.”_ Loki whispered, distraught.

_You can't blame yourself for Hunger's actions. You did everything you could._

Loki didn't seem to hear him, pressing closer. Almost like-

_Oh. Oh no._

Akechi looked down as he realized why this felt familiar. Robin Hood really had been in love with Arsene. No wonder why he didn’t want to talk to him for weeks afterward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akira could feel something was unraveling between the two of them. They were getting more and more out of step with each other, but not for a lack of trying on Robin Hood's end. A failed sidestep led to Akira being shoved aside by Robin, taking a rather nasty wind attack for him. He felt Robin stifle a groan, taking a little longer than usual to get up.

“Robin, are you okay?”

“Fine. Need a moment.”

The closer they got to the Velvet Room, the more terrible Robin Hood looked. He was too quiet, struggling to keep up with everyone.

“Hey. Hey, stay with me, Robin. We're almost there.”

The climb up back to where they were was a lot more difficult, his chest pain coming back with a vengeance. He was coughing so bad he nearly fell down a few times. Once at the top, Akira was bent over, trying to catch his breath. Robin gently touched his back, crouching down, looking him over to make sure he was okay. Akira stood up again, seeing Lavenza. He made his way over to her, Robin Hood just behind him. She perked up, starting to smile before her face dropped in horror.

“What happened?!”

“We need your help. Please.” Robin murmured.

Lavenza turns on her heel and waves them both inside. Akira enters, feeling thankful the other personas were silenced inside the Velvet Room.

“Master, something is very wrong.” Lavenza hissed up ahead of them.

Robin got nervous as he entered the center after Akira. Akira gently patted his arm, trying to be reassuring. Igor looked quickly between the two of them, Lavenza troubled and upset.

“Your heart…”

“Eaten. Crow tried to help but… we don’t fit with each other.” Akira explained quickly.

“You two would know how to help us. Please. I’d do anything to make sure Akira is healthy.” Robin Hood was practically begging the two of them.

Lavenza flips through her book as her and Igor discuss in whispers, rapid and urgent. Robin groaned softly, falling to his knees. Akira rushes to his side to support him, concerned. He feels his chest constrict, making it harder to breathe.

“Robin?”

“Don’t worry about me, Akira. It’s just catching up to me” He muttered.

Lavenza was there next to both of them in a blink of an eye, examining them.

“This is bad.” She stated, backing up again.

“Without either of your true selves, you’ll fade before your time.” Igor said, closing his eyes. “It’s a miracle both of you have lasted this long.”

“There has to be something you can do.” Akira says, desperate.

Lavenza puts her book down on the desk, an intense look on her face as she makes hand gestures. Akira flickers his attention between her and Robin Hood, who is becoming heavier by the second, leaning on him more. She turns to them, holding a bunch of dull, reddish points of light.

“I could only gather fragments of the past times you’ve visited with your true self, Trickster. However, all at different points in time, incompatible with each other and not enough to reform him. It's a huge risk, but…”

She pointedly looks towards the guillotine. Akira perks up, starting to try and lift Robin Hood.

“Robin, work with me. We need to go over there. Please.”

Robin slowly gets up, letting Akira guide him over to one of the guillotines. He looked scared upon seeing the guillotine, but meeting Akira’s eyes, he seemed to accept his fate. He gently rests his head on it with no complaint, no sound, not even a question. Akira swallowed thickly, realizing how far Robin would go for him if he asked. Akira gently strokes his face, hoping to calm him as Lavenza puts the gathered fragments on the other side.

“Step back.” Lavenza orders, grabbing the rope.

Akira backs up, watching, trying not to fidget. Igor and Lavenza share one more look before Lavenza grips tighter and pulls. The sound of the blades hitting the wood made him wince, watching Robin Hood disappear. A few moments pass. His chest loosened up, being able to breathe easier again. And then Akira watches him reform, but much different. Robin was slowly looking himself over, turning around.

“Robin Lupin.” Akira murmured, in awe.

His capelets were now much wider, connected down to almost the middle of his back, partially wrapping around his shoulders under his pauldrons, now a deep purple color, fading into black at the ends. At first glance, they look tattered, but they were shaped like bird wings with the impression of feathers. His eyes now a brilliant orange, a warm yellowish glow around his pupils like a sunset. Where he was white, he was now a soft ruby color, the reds much darker, obsidian black replacing gold. His bow had a stripe of molten gold running from end to end, gently glowing, highlighting the carvings in the now obsidian weapon. The initials were gone, the blues the same purple as his cloak. He seemed to have gained a little bit of a heel, razor sharp.

“Like what you see, my darling thief?” Robin teases him as he finishes spinning around, standing up straight.

Akira stiffened, used to hearing Arsene call him that, tears threatening to spill over. Robin became concerned, crouching down.

“Akira?”

Akira hugs him, tears rolling down his face. Robin immediately returns the gesture, rubbing circles into his back. Akira pulls away, looking him over again.

“Shh, it's okay…” Robin murmurs, cupping his face and wiping away his tears. “It's okay…”

“I'm sorry, I've done some horrible things to you. I'm going to do right by you now, watch me.”

“You don't have to do that. We forgive you.”

“I haven't earned it.”

“You were under distress. You've been through enough. Just breathe.”

Akira leans back into him again, riding his emotions out. Once he was calm again, he stepped back, Robin getting up.

“Wait. Stay there.”

Akira turned to Lavenza, going through the compendium. He summoned a few masks he didn't really use, eyeing the gallows.

“I need to make you stronger.”

Robin nodded, staying where he was. He winced a little as Akira sacrificed a bunch of different personas, but otherwise didn't move. Akira could feel he wasn't getting all the strength from each persona he sacrificed, confused.

“He's not getting as strong as he should be.”

“He's not a perfect fit still. He's just much closer to you now. Consider yourself lucky he's even retaining some of the power of the sacrifices.”

Akira huffs, adjusting his gloves.

“Akira, we should probably get back to our friends. They're waiting for us.”

“One moment.”

Akira took some time to recall the personas that he released, taking a deep breath as they resettled. He touched the patch over his heart, still there but now much smaller and more subtle. The two of them exited the Velvet Room, feeling much better, much more united than they had on entering.

“Whoa.”

Akira glanced up at Robin upon the surprise of everyone else. He looked so much more magnificent in the light. Robin glanced down at him, tilting his head. Akira turned back to the rest of the group.

“Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think,, I've made Robin Hood even prettier... help...


	10. The Climb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akechi is trying to make the best of his situation. The Thieves make their way to the top.

Akechi felt wrong again. Like his stomach just dropped. He stumbled, bent over, trying to fight the sudden nausea. Hunger seemed to notice after a few moments, looking over his shoulder back at him.

“What the hell is wrong with you now?” He growled.

“I, hrk-, I dunno.”

Akechi starts dry heaving, feeling even worse than before.

_“Crow??”_

“What the fuck are you doing? Stop messing around.”

He barely registered that Loki mentally curled back around him protectively. Eventually it stopped, but he still felt woozy.

“Are you done?”

He took a step, feeling wobbly and unsteady. Hunger huffed and just picked him up again.

“I don’t have time for your fucking bullshit.”

Akechi paled a little, the jostling threatening to make him nauseas once again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akira could see their other selves were having a hard time getting used to the new Robin. Zorro glanced over to him at one point, looking off in the distance.

“Arsene, can you lend me a hand?”

“Coming.”

Both paused halfway, processing what just happened.

“Uh, sorry, you're Robin.”

“It's fine.”

“Ya, no offense, but this be mighty weird for us…” Kidd commented.

“None taken. This is weird for us too.” Robin brushed off part of his cape as he spoke.

“Us…?” Haru muttered, looking to Akira for answers.

Akira simply shrugged. He had already explained what happened to him. They set off, trying to work their way to the structure. They had only jumped on a few groups of shadows so Akira could really see what Robin Lupin could do. He had spells Akira had seen before, and then a few curse spells that seemed more Arsene. They fit so well, except-

Robin drew the bow back, intending to release a curse spell into the shadows they were facing. A sudden headache and a twitch made the spell misfire, hitting Robin instead. Akira yelped as he felt a fraction of the pain, not expecting it and stopping. Luckily, the shadows were rather easy to kill. Akira turned to Robin, seeing him shake his head and reach out to him, quickly shoving his feelings of frustration aside.

“You two okay?” Ann asked.

“We're fine.” Robin muttered.

“I'm okay. Maybe we should rest a little?”

“I thought you two fixed it?”

“We're not perfect. We're just a lot closer to each other now.” Robin answered.

Akira could feel a pang of worry from Robin before he hid it from him.

_Robin?_

Robin didn’t look at him directly, straightening up. Akira sighed, deciding to drop it while they were out in the open. He wordlessly waved them to fall in line behind him, deciding to get back up the spine and move forward after a small break once they got to a clear spot.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunger tapped his hoof, scanning the surrounding area. Akechi glanced up at him, wondering if he could stealthily pry more information out of him in hopes to help the Thieves defeat him.

“You’ve mentioned having a father earlier...”

“Hmm?”

“What’s he like?”

“Father… heh, it’s been some time since I’ve seen Him.” Hunger smiled, the edge gone, more nostalgic.

He sits down, putting Akechi in his lap and holding him there. He could feel Loki mentally questioning his motive.

“I wasn’t His only object of his affection, of course. I had six younger siblings.” Hunger frowned. “Tch, it’s not like I should care about them anymore. They were weak and unworthy.”

“Turn on your family that fast, huh?”

“What would you know of me? Of them? But… I suppose it is natural to be curious…”

Hunger blinks, putting a hand to his chin in thought.

“No love for them, I’m assuming.”

“The rest were afraid of me. They unfairly judged me as someone who would turn on them. On my own family? Please.”

Akechi nodded along, trying to seem understanding.

“They’re dead now. And so is Father, no thanks to the Reaper’s brat and the others.”

Loki was confused about the accusation.

_“I don’t know what he’s talking about.”_

“Funny you should say that when you killed my sister personally.”

“Hunger.” Akechi said, getting his attention. “What do you mean they were unworthy?”

“Not worthy of Father’s time, nor His affections. They were not strong enough, and besides, I’m the one who got His blessing before He passed. But… Father is here, I can feel it.”

“Oh?”

“I felt it. I know I did. I… Is He even the same?”

Hunger fell silent for a while. He finally seemed to snap out of his stupor, getting up. He stalked away with Akechi in hand, unnaturally subdued.

~~~~~~~~~~~

They moved on, avoiding shadows along the way. Once they got to a safer place, Robin moved off to the side, staring out over the city. Akira went over to him, worried.

“Is something wrong?”

“I hope Loki is getting along okay with Goro. I… I know how he's most likely feeling right now.”

Akira moved closer to him, realizing what he meant.

“Goro was never good at that sort of thing, but Loki has always-” He cuts himself off with a huff, Akira feeling a small pang of jealousy before it's buried. “I hope they're fine.”

“Stop doing that.”

“Hm?”

“Killing your feelings. I want to hear them.”

“I don't want to bother you with that.”

“And why not?”

“Because it's silly and selfish of me.”

Akira blinks slowly. Robin sits on the ground, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I'll get over it. Don't worry about it.”

“Someone told me it's okay to be selfish every once in a while. That it's not bad to want things for yourself.”

“Well… look where that got me…”

“Robin-”

“All I did was push him away.”

Nothing was said for a while. Akira sat down next to him, giving some space but within arm's reach of him.

“Loki was always his favorite. Always always always. And he could never do anything wrong. It… it felt nice to be someone’s favorite, for once. I felt… free. Even if I was just a means to an end. I know now his feelings for me were genuine too, but at the time… Just. I’ve-... I’ve watched him die twice now and there was nothing I could do about it.”

Robin let out a sigh, closing his eyes. Akira leans against him, waiting.

“I can't change the past now. And like I’ve said, silly and selfish.”

“I don’t care if it is. It's good to talk about it. I want to hear your feelings, I want to make sure you're heard.”

Robin looked down at him, skeptical.

“I really mean that. So what else is bothering you?”

“I fear I am not strong enough. I know I can't compare myself to Arsene. But we don't want to give up either. We can't do that to you.”

Robin Lupin got up, narrowing his eyes at the horizon. Akira got up and looked in the same direction, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

“Lavenza said it herself. We’re not a perfect match. Please don’t kick yourself over that.”

Robin turns towards him, blinking slowly. He kneels down, half closed fist over his chest, hanging his head.

“As long as I’m still standing, I won’t fail you. I won’t allow myself to.”

Akira feels the rush of determination and resolve from Robin, gently patting his shoulder.

“Come on. We have work to do.”

Robin stands up and follows him back to the group.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Stay there.”

Akechi looked down at Hunger, having been thrown up on top of a spine so Hunger could climb with both hands. Akechi backed up a little as he swung his leg over the edge to help get himself up. Hunger stood up, raising an eyebrow at the fact he was still there.

“Not running away to kill yourself?”

“What's the point when you'll just stop me?”

“Heh. Good to see you learned your place. Now come along.”

Akechi stood up, following Hunger as he wandered. He caught movement below, looking over the edge. It looked like humans. Humans running through the distortion. He was yanked backwards, Hunger narrowing his eyes down at him.

“I said come.”

“Sorry.”

 

Oh, he definitely saw them this time. A group was up ahead, but Akechi could tell they weren’t shadows. As they got closer, Hunger looking elsewhere, he could recognize Panther’s suit from here. He needed to warn them. He took a deep breath and raised his hands to around his mouth, about to shout at them. Hunger poked him harshly in the side to interrupt him before clapping a hand over his mouth.

“See your friends, do you?”

Akechi shook his head.

“You should know better than to lie to me.” Hunger growled, dragging a claw deep along his spine.

Akechi whimpered in pain, muffled by his hand. Hunger picked up the pace, heading straight towards the Phantom Thieves.

“Let’s go play with them, shall we?” Hunger asked as he dragged him along behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The personas froze when they got back to the spot they last saw Akechi, seeing Arsene’s body still where it was. They all rushed to his side, silence falling over them as they stilled. The Phantom Thieves decided to hang back and let them have their moment. Robin Lupin moved towards the group, but stopped halfway, rooted by guilt. He glanced back at Akira, grief shining in his eyes.

_“I have no right…”_

Carmen broke away from the group, unnoticed, and over to where he was. Carmen hooked her arm with Robin’s, leading him over to the group. He stopped only once, trying to explain his hesitance but she shook her head and continued pulling him over. Akira could see him kneel down, stroking Arsene’s face slowly. It was almost overwhelming how much Robin was grieving. Akira started moving towards them, his first instinct to comfort. He stiffened upon getting closer now that he was seeing his own dead body. Dread clawed up his chest and threatened to choke him. Robin spun around and lunged towards him, hugging him to his chest and blocking his view.

“Akira? Are you okay?” He whispered.

_It’s not me I know it’s not me but it is, it is me and-_

“Akira.”

Akira jumped in his grip. He could now feel his heart pounding in his chest.

“I…”

Robin stood up carefully, taking him back over to his friends. He put him down, nudging him towards them. Akira grabbed his hand and held it tight.

“Akira, take a moment to sit down.” Haru suggested. “You’re very pale.”

“I can see why.” Futaba said, glancing over to Arsene.

“I’ll be okay when we get moving again.” Akira mumbled.

It took some time for him to regain his composure. He let Morgana take the lead, following quietly, Robin by his side so he couldn’t see Arsene again.

 

“Fuck these angels.” Ryuji grumbled.

Akira had to agree these large shadows were incredibly tough. Especially since this one was calling more and more backup with every passing minute.

“We just have to take the big one down and the others will stop coming. Let’s go.”

Akira switched to Robin Hood to take a hard hit, stumbling only a little, feeling better than he did moments before. He threw a curse spell at the angel, getting back into the fight.

 

They took a breather, standing close to the structure. The thing was huge. Akira did one last scan of the surrounding area, not seeing any movement in the weird distorted environment.

“Are we ready?” He asked the group, looking around. “It won't be easy.”

“Whenever you are, Joker.” Morgana replied, everyone else agreeing.

Akira took a deep breath, rolling his shoulder around. He started climbing the steps, mentally preparing himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter but it's done, so I'm putting it up. Yeethaw
> 
> Edit: i have an art/ask blog for this au now, p5fusionau.tumblr.com.


	11. The Descent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go down into the prison, making their way to the Holy Grail to finally defeat it, for real this time.

Akechi froze upon seeing Arsene. The body was still there, face contorted in pain, chest ripped open and hollow where the heart should be. Hunger let out a chuckle, sauntering over to him. 

“Oh dear, what a mess. It suits him though, wouldn’t you say, Pallbearer?” Hunger smiles as he tilts Arsene’s face up towards him.

_ “I’m sorry Arsene I’m sorry I didn’t want this I’m sorry I’m sorry-”  _  Loki whispered over and over. 

“Why do you care so much? He never cared about you.”

Loki fell silent.

_ Loki? _

_ “I know. I know he didn’t.” _

_ Don’t listen to him. _

_ “How can you say that when you’ve heard the way he talked about me?” _

Akechi was doing everything he could to not look at the body directly, even squeezing his eyes shut. But the image was seared into his brain, seeing it still when he closed his eyes.

_ He felt guilty on the way up here. About everything he had done to you. _

He could tell Loki didn't believe him. But at least he heard him. Hunger glanced back over to him.

“Well? Aren't you going to admire my handiwork?”

“I already did.”

Hunger rolled his eyes but said nothing. He leaned in close to Arsene, staring. 

“What do you think will happen if I kiss him like you kissed that other thing, hm? Will it make him alive again?”

“What?”

Loki was sick at the thought.

“Don't play dumb with me. You kissed that other one and he woke up.”

“I don't know what happened.”

Hunger kissed Arsene briefly, looking only slightly disappointed he didn't come back to life. Loki made a noise of horror.

“Maybe it's you.”

Hunger started dragging him over to the body, Akechi becoming pale.

“What? But I don't-”

Hunger shoved him into Arsene, holding him there. Akechi tried to free himself, only for Hunger’s grip to get tighter and pushed more up against Arsene. He could barely stop himself from throwing up.

“C'mon, try for me? Better not keep me waiting.”

Akechi gave the body a quick kiss, trying not to gag. They waited for a moment or two, Arsene still lifeless.

“Oh, what a shame. Let's go.”

Hunger dragged him along.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akira blinked, seeing the prison laid out before them as before, but ultimately just as empty. They managed to pass by the Palace Rulers again, but something made him pause.

“Is something wrong?” Zorro asked.

“Surprised he hasn't gotten them yet, that's all.”

“Who? Those three?” Johanna asked.

“But we collapsed their Palaces, it shouldn’t work the same way, right?”

They stood there discussing this, questioning whether they should do something about the three. Robin didn’t participate, instead walking forward towards the other door.

“So where do we go from here to get to the next safe room?” Robin asked.

“What? You’re not gonna add your opinion to this?” Ryuji asked.

Robin huffed. Akira felt him get defensive.

“Look, clearly he didn’t think they were worth it. I’m certain he would’ve ate them already if he had. I don’t think we should waste our time here.”

“Robin.”

He glances at Akira, saying nothing. Akira decided to drop it, taking them to the next safe room.

 

“Joker. You sure you're alright?” Ann asked.

He was staring blankly at the wall of the safe room before Ann's voice snapped him out of out. He realized he hasn't stopped shaking since they saw Arsene.

“Just need a little time. I'll be just outside, don't worry.”

_ Robin, please.  _

He didn't need any more prompting, coming out. He sat down, waiting until Akira sat in his lap before rubbing circles along his back. Akira leaned against his chest, closing his eyes.

“You know you can feel free to cry.”

“But I will be seen as weak.”

“You're only sixteen, Akira. And I'm sure your friends won't mind.”

“What's my age have to do with anything?”

“Sorry, did that come off as dismissive? I only meant that this is a lot for someone so young. And you did just see… that.”

Akira opened his eyes, knowing what he meant. 

“Are you really okay, Akira?”

“I dunno.” He admitted. “But are you okay? You were really upset.”

Robin pulled Akira into a tight hug, keeping quiet.

“Robin?”

Robin curled around him more before he spoke.

“Look, this isn’t about me right now. I want to make sure you’re okay.” 

Akira closed his eyes again, but his own corpse stared back at him, refusing to listen to his pleas to go away. The embrace tightened, a chin placed on top of his head. He felt himself shaking.

“I’m here. I’m here.” Robin Lupin murmured, stroking along his spine.

“I didn't ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of _ this.  _ I… but now it’s my responsibility.” Akira paused and took a deep breath, trying to stop shaking. “Do we have to kill him? Please… I don’t think I can watch him die again.”

He could feel Robin was torn up about answering the question. 

“Do you want my honesty?”

Akira tensed up hearing the hesitation in his voice. The silence as Robin waited for his answer became uncomfortable.

“Sure.” He found himself saying.

“I don’t want to have to kill him. It might be necessary. I don’t want him to die either, but given the choice of saving everyone or saving him, I know what to do. I wouldn’t suggest it at all if there was a better option.”

Robin stopped stroking his back, lost in thought. 

“I know that’s not what you want to hear. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I just wish there was another way.” 

Akira shifted, hugging himself, almost curling up into a ball. It was quiet for a bit, neither of them wanting to talk.

“Hey. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to, but what were you two arguing about earlier?” Akira asked, looking for something to take his mind off what he saw earlier.

“I told him about his crush. He… took it about as well as I expected him to.”

“Why didn’t you tell him earlier?”

“It was the first time he was happy in a long time. He would’ve just isolated himself again if I did. He would’ve been so miserable.”

Akira could guess at the underlying worry that went unspoken. Akira didn’t say anything more, forcing himself to breathe slowly. Robin went back to rubbing circles along his back, shifting so Akira was more comfortable. 

“Okay. I think I’m good now.” He mumbles after a while, starting to get up.

Robin waited until he got up before he did as well, stretching. They headed back into the safe room, Akira ready to keep going.

“Alright, let’s go in with a plan and go for the win this time.” Futaba said, typing away.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki was silent, not even moving as they descended into the building. Akechi gently brushed against his leg. Loki didn’t even look at him. Akechi paused, staring at Kaneshiro, Madarame and Kamoshida. He glanced over at Hunger, who sighed and turned around once he realized Akechi wasn’t following him. He sat down, arms crossed. Akechi knew they were previously rulers of manifestations the Phantom Thieves took down. He wondered if Hunger could see them.

“What is it now?”

“I'm just curious why these three are still here.” 

“I tried earlier. Couldn't get it open. It's not worth it.”

“Really?”

“I don't have to explain myself to you.”

“Right. Of course. Just trying to make small talk with you.”

Akechi turned away to go to Hunger. Hunger let him pass by before getting up and following him closely.

“So what is stopping you now? Surely you’re much stronger now, and those bars would be child’s play to you.”

That made Hunger pause. Akechi came to a stop as he heard Hunger stop walking.

“They seem familiar in a way I can't place.” Hunger admitted quietly.

Akechi didn't turn to face him, but that made him curious. Hunger started to move again, passing him, Akechi hurrying to keep up.

 

He could see the Thieves up ahead, Hunger grabbing his shoulder tight as he spotted them. The Thieves seemed to be discussing something before hopping down the ledge, slowly disappearing from sight.

“Now where are they going?” 

Akechi said nothing, which got him the response of being turned to face a scowling Hunger. 

“Well?”

“They're going down to the bottom of this place.”

Hunger seemed satisfied with his answer, turning back to where the group last was. He shifted his grip, Akechi feeling the poke of a claw on his neck. A warning.

“Shall we?”

Hunger pulled him forward, standing at the edge to see the path they took. Akechi spotted the chalice from earlier, surprised it was still here. He felt himself lifted up, Hunger beginning to hop down the steps. He slowed down and started being quiet, covering Akechi's mouth for good measure. Akechi suddenly falls and gets immediately winded as Hunger missteps and drops him, immediately hopping back on all fours. He let out a little hiss in annoyance. Akechi pushed himself up, trying to catch his breath. Hunger gingerly starts going down the stairs again on all fours,stopping a few steps down to stare at him. Akechi freezes, not making any moves. Echoes of fighting drift their way up to them, making Akechi glance down to the Grail again.

“Well? Are you going to be a good boy and come along and be quiet?” Hunger asked, snapping Akechi’s attention to him.

He nodded, getting up and going down to where Hunger was. Hunger stared at him for another moment or two before continuing on their journey down. Akechi just had to play along for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit difficult to write, what with life and lack of inspo, but we're slowly coming to the end.


	12. Deja Vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Personas and Hunger see a familiar face.

“Panther, now’s your chance to sneak off.” Futaba shouted, working on the next wave of power boosts for the team.

Ann nodded, slipping away while Ryuji and Yusuke kept the Grail’s attention on them. Akira switched to a persona to help boost their defense while running back into the fight. Robin Lupin was intense, matching his current state as the Grail released another flurry of attacks on them. He caught Ann slowly climbing her way up the gold hand statue.

“Seth, Agnidyne.” Akira growls, the dragon launching a powerful blast at the Grail.

Everyone was keeping on their toes, hoping the Grail wouldn't notice Ann before she could execute the vital part in their plan. With a solid heave, Ann threw herself onto the palm, and then leapt from that to the Grail, weapon out. She severs the veins going into it, stumbling a bit as she landed. Carmen helped her get up and keep moving back to the group. The Grail let out a snarl as it realized it couldn't heal itself anymore.

“Now you'll pay.”

They brace themselves for the second half of the fight as the Grail gathers up light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunger pauses near the bottom, cocking his head at the Grail. Akechi watches the Thieves fight, glancing between them and Hunger to see what he was going to do.

_“What is that?”_ Loki muttered.

He was relieved Loki was talking again. The gold chalice sat there, launching attack after attack as the Thieves ran around, trying to fight back. They hadn't noticed them yet, the two just on the last step, watching. Hunger stepped down, staring at the Grail. Akechi hopped down, standing next to then, stiffening as Hunger grabbed onto his shoulder. Hunger stands on two legs as they stay where they are. The fighting stopped, the Thieves gathering themselves up.

_ Did they win? _

The was a loud, deafening crack. The ground started shaking violently. Hunger gets thrown to the ground, hurriedly getting back onto all fours with a hiss. Akechi just lifts his head up as the hand statue moves, going back towards the Grail. The patterns of the Grail started shifting, moving, coming to life as the walls around them started giving way to open sky. Akechi looks back over the edge, seeing a hundred story drop to the streets below. 

_ “That golden face! We-” _

“Father?!” Hunger gasped.

Akechi whips his head around to see the Grail was still transforming, but it was now humanoid, a squarish golden face glaring down onto the Thieves. He turns, looking around, seeing the two of them. Hunger moves forward a step or two, reaching out towards Him. He stares at him as if he was an ant beneath Him, sweeping His gaze back to the Thieves. Hunger stiffens, confused and hurt, mouth gaping. Akechi takes this as his chance.

_ With Hunger distracted, I could warn them! _

Akechi started running towards the Thieves, clinging onto the hope that he’d make it before Hunger realized his new plan.

There's another loud crack, and Akechi finds himself tumbling down alongside a panicking Hunger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The personas collectively froze up as they all recognized who was in front of them. He shifted up straight, looming over them, adjusting Himself to be fully intimidating and divine.

“This bastard again??” Kidd snarled.

“What do you mean  _ again _ ?!” Ryuji yelled.

“You dare challenge Me?” He snarled, drowning out everything else. “I am Yaldabaoth, Rightful God of the People, Ruler of All. You are nothing to Me, and to nothing you will return.”

They tensed up, preparing for battle.

“Whoa. Be careful guys, this time He's much stronger than before.” Necronomicon warned.

“We've beat Him once, we can do it again.”

_ What’s your thoughts on this, Robin? _

_ “Let’s take this creature down, Akira.” _

Akira mentally checked their supplies as he quickly read everyone else’s faces. They seem to be raring to go, and Akira was not going to deny them.

“C'mon, let's do this!” Akira shouted.

~~~~~~

Akechi clung onto the side of the tower, looking down to see the ground still far away below. Hunger was farther down, clutched tightly onto a rib, his claws making grooves into the bone. Akechi could feel his palms stinging and bleeding slightly. He looked back up, still seeing the golden figure, and some untouched solid ground. 

_ Well, that’s as good as anything. _

He started climbing up, gingerly searching for hand and foot holds, grimacing at the tiny smears of blood he left behind. 

_ “Crow?” _

He could feel Hunger’s piercing stare as he kept going.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“Up. Don’t you want to see your Father again?”

Hunger looked incredulous he would suggest that. Hunger started reaching out, trying to mimic his actions.

“Of course I do, brat, but....  Wait. Just hold on.”

Akechi grunted as he felt his body stiffen against his will. He was shaking was he reached out for the next handhold, his body tense, feeling like he could snap. Reaching out to the next foothold got a bit easier, but it seemed to drag on forever. He stopped after a minute of struggling to force his body to move, breathing hard, trying to get his body to relax a little. He shook his head, seeming to clear the odd feeling away.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll let myself fall.”

He kept climbing, ignoring the complaints and whining of the beast below him. Several minutes passed until he finally heaved himself up and over, laying on his back once he got onto the solid ground he saw earlier. The large circle was empty, the shadows having disappeared. The fighting was loud enough to be heard over the rush in his ears. Once he felt his heart was a bit calmer, Akechi sat up and looked over the edge at Hunger. Hunger was struggling, to say the least. He started to get up to run towards the Thieves, but Hunger snarled below him.

“You stay where you are!”

Akechi found his body obeying, sitting right back down, that weird tense feeling again. He peered down over the edge at his captor, keeping his face neutral.

_ This is bad. _

He watched Hunger struggle for a few more minutes, missing or slipping off the next hold every other successful grab. Akechi tried to fight his last command like he did last time, but found his muscles refused to cooperate.

“You can just jump into my heart and come out back up here.”

Hunger stiffened, looking up. A glint of something passed through his eyes before he glared.

_ Is he afraid? _

“You're trying to  _ trick  _ me.” He snarled. “I will  _ not  _ fall for it.”

Akechi sighed and scooted away from the edge. He found he couldn’t really do anything else.

_ This is going to take a while. _

~~~~~~~~~

“Why won’t this thing just go down already?!” 

“C’mon, we can’t give up now!”

Akira went into a roll after dodging a strike from the sword, using the momentum to move forward into a sprint towards Ryuji. Ryuji ran towards him, Akira sliding to a stop and crouching down with his hands cupped, tense. Ryuji jumped to him, Akira catching him and then boosting him up and throwing him. Kidd appeared and released a powerful lightning attack, taking out the sword. Yaldabaoth let out a small grumble, summoning another arm. He flicked His wrist, a book appearing in His hand, already open. Ann stopped, waving her arm over the group, healing them a little.

“Careful guys, it’s got the book again!”

“Panther, heads up!” 

Ann is just a little too slow to completely dodge a blast of energy directed at her, throwing her off her feet. She springs back up, a few cuts and bruises to show for it. She runs back in, Carmen throwing a fire spell directly at Yaldabaoth. He didn’t react, His book gathering light around it. 

“It’s storing energy, keep your guard up.”

They protected themselves as Yaldabaoth released an energy blast, hitting all of them. Makoto went down next to him. He quickly summoned Robin Lupin, using Samarecarm on her. Makoto thanked him as Johanna threw another healing spell on all of them. Akira could feel himself getting tired, the edges of his vision blurring slightly. 

“Keep this up, Akira, you’re doing well. But we’re not done yet.” Robin murmured. 

Akira grimaced, shaking his head to refocus. He had a sinking feeling this fight was going to be a lot longer than any of them could have anticipated.

~~~~~~~~~~

Akechi tried yanking at the thing around his neck again while Hunger was busy trying to figure out how to climb like he just did. All that did was choke him and become a little tighter until he let it go. He brought his knees up into his chest, hugging his legs.

_ I hope Robin is doing okay. I miss him. _

“You.”

Akechi looked back down over the edge to see Hunger holding onto the wall, limbs stretched out uselessly. 

“If I do what you said, are you going to trap me?” 

“I have no way to trap you.”

“Are you lying to me?”

“No.” 

Hunger searched his face, looking for anything that would tell him otherwise. Hunger breathed out, closing his eyes. After a few moments, he disappeared, Akechi feeling weird as he was back in his heart. Hunger jumped out again, staring him down.

“See?”

“Don't expect me to do that again anytime soon. Now come. Hurry up.”

Hunger looked around, trying to get his bearings. He started walking forward, Akechi at his heel. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!! i havent abandoned this!! my life got really crazy, including a sudden move and new job, so i probably will disappear for a while again before this gets finished. sorry ONZ 
> 
> but hey, almost done!! ish!!!


	13. Patricide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reunion, of sorts.

“Submit.”

Akira slowly gets up, Yaldabaoth shifting to bear the weapons down on him. Akira glares down the wrong end of the barrel at Him, not wanting to give up. He's worse for wear, shaking, bleeding, sore.

“Do you wish to die that much, child?” He asks, impersonal and empty.

A glance behind him tells him his friends are getting back up too. Yaldabaoth shifts only slightly to threaten them all, book brought closer to His chest, prepared.

“We're not going to back down.” Akira growled at Him.

“As long as we can fight, as long as we have hope, we'll take the world!” Morgana chimed in.

The Thieves pull together, their other selves as every bit determined and angry as they are, forming a tight circle.

“I shall ask you one last time, you inferior, insolent ingrates. Submit to My mercy, or be erased.”

“We'll never let you control us.”

“Very well then.” He spoke, raising His sword to swing at them.

“Everyone ready?” Akira murmured, raising his hand. “Now!”

They all tensed for a moment before springing into action. Kidd, Goemon, Ryuji and Yusuke broke the sword first before it could hit them. Carmen, Milady, Ann and Haru worked together to take out the book before it could finish storing energy. Everyone else focused on Yaldabaoth, doing as much damage as they can while keeping on their toes. Necro and Futaba buffed them as much as they could, the group as a whole doing their best to help each other out to the best of their ability.

~~~~~~~~~

As they came upon the battlefield, Hunger's face falls as the Thieves defeat the golden creature. The golden form starts to fade away, Hunger's eyes widening.

“No no no no no!” He hissed, rushing forward.

Akechi chased after him, hoping the others would notice him before he reached the body. Something red and wavy started rising from the body, and Akechi recognised it immediately.

_Oh fuck no._

He pushed his body to the limits, trying to catch up and shout a warning.

“Behind y-!”

He chokes as Hunger yanks him up by the collar and continues forward. Morgana yelps as Hunger leaps out in front of him, throwing Akechi to the side and grabbing the heart as a reflex, sliding to a stop. There's a pause as both parties take a second to process what just happened. Hunger stares at the thing in his hands before recognizing it.

“If I can't save Father...” He muses, lifting the heart closer to his mouth.

"NO!" Mona yells, leaping forward to try and stop him.

Hunger dodges the wind attack, hugging the heart close to him. Akechi gets up, moving to take out his sword, turning towards Hunger.

“Stop them!” Hunger snapped at him.

Akechi felt himself obey, cussing Hunger out under his breath. He mouthed apologies as he slashed at the others, doing his best to not actually slow them down too much without making it obvious. The Thieves converged on Hunger, trying to stop him from eating it. Hunger threw a powerful spell at them, throwing them back. He leapt away from them, seizing his opportunity. He shoves the heart into his mouth with both hands, barely chewing it before he swallowed.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” Skull growled, backing up.

He looks down at his hands, smirking as he sees gold taking over his black stripes, moving up towards Akechi.

“That’s better!” He sneers, looking over the group. “Care to try again?”

Akechi quickly looked them over before they charged. They looked exhausted, bruises and injuries everywhere. He hoped they were healthier than they looked.

~~~~~~~~~

It was a shock to see Hunger appear after their fight, dragging a upset and guilty Akechi along for the ride. Though now his outfit was a grayish off white with gold stripes, darker gray cloak, shoes and mask with the points of his mask  fading into gold again. Around his neck piece, there seemed to be another gold belt around it. Unfortunately they were tired and thrown off by their sudden appearance to prevent Hunger from eating the heart of the Metaverse. And now, they were forced to fight Akechi.

“Seth.” Akira growled as he narrowly dodged a swipe from Hunger’s claws, landing an agnidyne on him as payback.

It looked like it barely did anything to him. Akira moved to try and circle behind Hunger, catching movement out of the corner of his eye. He raised his dagger to block Akechi’s blade, standing his ground. He came away with a small cut on his cheek, but Akechi was just that much faster in pulling back his blade for another strike. Akira waited for the pain, but it never came, Akechi hitting the ground to his right. Akira dashed away before he could process what just happened.

“On your left.” Hunger barked at Akechi.

Akira watched as Akechi spun around to slash at Makoto, just coming short of her chest. Hunger didn’t notice, Goemon and Zorro keeping him busy. Akira cycled through his personas, hitting the two with a strong nuclear attack. Hunger pointed him out to Akechi before managing to strike Milady, turning his back on him. Akechi stuck at him again, slashing just in front of his face. There was so much guilt in his eyes as Akira stepped back.

“I’m sorry.” Akechi mouthed at him, slowly swinging at him again.

This wasn’t like their fight before, anger and no holds barred. Akechi was much slower than he should be with his attacks, and that’s when it hit Akira.

_He’s… he’s missing on purpose._

Akira focused his attacks on Hunger, not wanting to hurt Akechi directly.

_If we can get Hunger down quick enough, we won't have to kill him._

He heard Robin mutter something indistinct, shifting. He didn't pay it any mind at the moment, getting back to the fight. It took some time for Hunger and Akechi to be backed up side by side near the edge, the others a circle in front of them. And that's when Hunger noticed how Akechi was fighting.

"You’re missing on purpose!"  He snarled.

Akechi ducks the first swipe at him, gets raked across the chest on the second. Hunger pins him, forgetting about them. Robin Lupin leaps out of his heart and slams a bless spell into him.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on him!" Robin snarled.

Hunger whips his head around.

"Oh, so that's where he- ?!"

Hunger stopped, confused. Akechi takes the chance to stab Hunger with his sword as the Thieves throw another few spells at him. Hunger flinches, growling.

“You belong to _me_ you little bastard. Now stop holding back!”

He puppets Akechi to stand up, making a claw motion at him. Akechi is briefly consumed by black fire with golden specks, and they recognized that immediately.

“Kill them.”

_No! No no no no!_

Akira dodged a bunch of attacks, hesitating on striking him back with the knife. Robin threw a powerful bless spell at the two of them, pushing Akechi away from him.

_“Akira, stay focused! Our friends are in danger!”_

Akira snapped out of his initial panic, checking on his friends. They were nowhere near prepared for another huge fight. It was only a matter of time before exhaustion overtook them.

~~~~~~~~~~~

_Fuck. This is bad._

Akechi could feel his heart racing, compelled to go as hard and fast as he could. Though seeing Robin Hood again was a relief, he was so much different now. So much more pink and confidant in how he held himself. Of course, Robin got switched out for another of Akira’s personas, but he hoped he’d make an appearance again.

"Robin Lupin!"

_Robin_ Lupin _???_

He didn’t really have time to process what that meant, because he got slammed with a heavy bless attack from his former persona.

_Wow, he is not holding back at all._

Akechi skillfully dodged a lightning spell from Kidd, watching Robin raise his bow again, aiming at him. This time he threw a heavy bless attack at both him and Hunger, leaving Akechi open for a nuclear blast from Johanna. He staggered back a bit, mentally assessing the damage. Akira followed up with a dagger attack, Robin hitting him with another heavy spell again, this time curse magic.

_Well_ that’s _fucking new. When the fuck-_

“What are you doing?” He heard Akira snap at Robin.

“Is it not obvious? I’m finishing this.”

“Wh-”

Akira didn’t get to finish his sentence, Hunger clawing him across the face. Akechi winced as he saw blood cover Akira’s face. Robin quickly pulled him back, half shielding him. At least he could count on Robin to follow his orders, even though he was Akira’s now. But something was still off about him, something Akechi couldn’t quite place his finger on.

_Did… Did Akira somehow fuse Robin with something else? What would he-_

Then he had a sudden epiphany.

_Arsene. That’s Arsene he’s been fused with. Or at least, partly. But Arsene’s dead??_

Akechi couldn’t quite concentrate on that train of thought anymore as Noir slugged her battleaxe into his stomach. He falls on his ass, winded. Hunger took a moment to attack her, Noir thankfully dodging out of the way. Hunger yanked him up and moved on to fight Carmen, who was moving in on him. He was focusing on the others, silently rooting for them, when Akira switched back to Robin, aiming a bless spell at him. He blinked, and suddenly Akira cried out in pain and was now swaying on his feet, Robin clutching his own head.

_That’s not good._

Hunger took his chance to pounce at the pair, being tackled off to the side by Kidd just in time. Of course, that just meant Hunger focused his rage onto him instead for the time being, tearing up his back.

_What the hell is going on?_

He watched closer this time, seeing how they fought. They were just ever so slightly out of sync, not like what Akira had with Arsene. A sudden twitch of Akira’s hand, and the spell Robin was aiming at Hunger backfired and hit the two of them.

_Is this because the contract was skipped over when I gave Robin to him? It must be, right?_

“Pay attention.” Hunger growled at him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Akechi hoped that Robin and the others would succeed at killing him before Hunger killed them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_But I don’t want to kill him!_

_“Akira, focus please. We need to stop Hunger.”_

Akira was both jealous and resentful that Robin could be so calm about this. He switched to someone else, needed a bit of time to regroup and to keep Hunger from trying to beeline for him. Not that Robin being out of sight really helped with Hunger trying to kill them first. On top of that, he could feel exhaustion creeping up on him, even with the rush of adrenaline. And in that mental storage space, they were already running dangerously low on supplies. If they were still fighting after those ran out, they were doomed.

“How’s everyone holding up, Oracle?”

“...Not that great, Joker. We need to defeat him and do it fast.”

He could see everyone was pretty much exhausted at this point, confirming Futaba’s response. He flipped through his masks quickly, finally settling back on Robin. If he could get Hunger's attention off the rest of them, they might be able to defeat him.

“Robin Lupin.”

Akira ordered him to do a heavy bless attack on Hunger. Robin obeyed, Hunger spinning around from where he was bearing down on Goemon and Yusuke. Hunger leaped after them, snarling.

“I’m going to enjoy killing you again.”

Robin didn’t respond, following Akira’s mental orders as they worked to keep Hunger’s attention on the two of them. Unfortunately, another headache had him flinch, giving just enough time for a jagged blade to slice him across the back. He yelped and fell to his knees, whipping around to barely block another strike, cutting his fingers.

“Aki-!”

Hunger threw himself at Robin Lupin, pinning him to the ground and digging his claws into his throat, cutting off what he was about to say. Robin was straining to get Hunger off, deciding to claw at his face in an attempt to get him to let go. Akechi was shaking, and Akira could tell he was trying to break free of Hunger’s hold.

“Joker!”

Ryuji charged Akechi, slamming his pipe into him at full force and knocking him to the ground. Kidd released a heavy bolt at Hunger at the same time Carmen threw a fireball into his back, Hunger jolting upright. Robin took the opportunity to slam his forearm across his face, rolling away and getting to his feet. Akira got up, backpedaling a little. If they could avoid another mistake like that, they’d have this fight. He turned his attention to Akechi, just trying to keep an eye on him as he got back into the fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akira flinched again, leaving him open to a strong swipe of Hunger’s claws across his chest. He fell onto his back hard.

And Akechi knew that was the beginning of the end.

One by one, the Phantom Thieves go down as Akechi watches, Loki giving out a single strangled cry as the last Thief falls. Hunger starts slowly picking over them, delighted. Akechi flinches as he tears out their hearts one by one, feasting. Robin drags himself over a barely breathing Akira as Hunger swings back around to Akira, glaring at him.

"Still trying? You've lost."  
Hunger slashes Robin’s throat, making Akechi yelp, before he drags Akira away. Akechi is so still as Hunger comes back to him, wickedly grinning.

"It's bittersweet, isn't it? Watching them die? Your enemies fall before you, master. And I got you a present."

He puppets Akira to kneel in front of him, bowing his head, outfit now dark grey with a gold mask. His now white gloved hands were shaking, and Akechi could see the matching gold collar around his neck.

"I did this all for you. Aren't you proud of me?" 

"This is my reward, right?" Akechi murmurs, tipping Akira's face up with two fingers.

The pure hatred alone in Akira's expression would have killed him.

"Yes, yes, of course. For you. A moment alone?"

"Please."

"Very well, master."

Hunger walks off several feet, watching him with detached interest. Akechi kneels down in front of him, cupping his face.

"I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

"Robin told me... you bastard."

"I know."

Akechi presses his lips against Akira’s, sliding a hand down his side.

"Play along with me, I have one more idea." He whispered into his ear, guiding Akira to the ground.

He closes Akira's fingers around his gun, pulling his hand up along his chest. Hunger lets out a low whistle.

"Didn't realize this was a show too." 

"Pull the trigger, it should kill him too."

Akechi slips the gun into his mouth, half closing his eyes. Akira is shaking as he starts to pull the trigger, squeezing his eyes shut. Hunger gasped loudly. He quickly puppets Akira's arm to slam into the ground, letting go of the gun.

"Oh no you don’t, you son of a bitch!" Hunger snarls at Akechi as he gets yanked off and thrown to the ground.

He confiscates Akira's dagger too, throwing both down to the street.

"You...? Hahaha, how clever of you, you little bastard." He gets right into Akechi's face, pulling him close. "You can't die, master. Not when you have a throne to rule from."

"I’m only a puppet to you, like the world now." He spits, letting out a grunt as Hunger grabs his throat and shoves him into the ground.

"Good to see you understand, even though you tried to betray me. But you knew they couldn't win without the Trickster, didnt you?”

Hunger watches him gasp for air before he lets go, leaving him there. He struts over to Akira, turning back to stare at Akechi, claws pressed gently against Akira’s jugular.

“I should eat you for your insolence, but the world _does_ need someone to thank for all of this. And who better than one who tried to betray me twice now.”

Hunger slides down onto the ground, pressing Akira back against his chest, leaving tiny scratches on his throat as he forces him to look up. Akechi’s stomach dropped as he sees a little blood welling up.

“But don't worry, I'll let you keep your little pet too. You’ll get him back when you learn to behave. And you will learn, _won’t you?_ "

The threat of “or I will kill him too” was made very clear.

“I-...” Akechi swallowed hard, looking down.

He slowly nodded. He had to keep Akira safe. He _had_ to.

“That’s what I thought. Come along, then.”

Hunger slowly releases Akira’s throat, and Akechi could see the defeat in his eyes. Hunger gets up, dragging Akira along with him. Akechi quickly got up and followed, unsure where he was going. He quietly bends reality, making one of the large bones into a throne overlooking the city below. He gestures Akechi to sit on it, Akechi doing so. Hunger puppets Akira to bow low in front of him before leaning on one of the arm rests.

“Isn’t this nice? You got what you wanted, didn’t you?”

“This isn’t what I wanted.” Akechi hissed under his breath.

“Oh, you’ll get used to it, I’m sure.”

Akechi swallowed, struggling to resist, his body not responding anymore. He gasps from the effort, falling back, panting hard. Hunger chuckles, leaning across and dragging a claw down his cheek.

“Oh, a king shouldn’t strain himself so. It’s unsightly. Besides, you should just relax and watch the view.”

He puppets Akira up and onto Akechi’s lap sideways, Akechi stiffening. The two of them are forced to watch as reality gets consumed by the Metaverse, truly unable to break free of the bonds Hunger forced upon them. They have truly become puppets, the last sparks of their rebellion snuffed out like their fellow humans down below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This was one wild ride of angst and I'm glad you decided to stick this out with me and come along for the ride. This was a fun idea to explore, if hard to get out at points, but whoo big Bad End AU done! This was pain.


End file.
